


I Believe In Action

by MissMello



Category: West Side Story (1961), West Side Story (2020)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:48:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24291595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMello/pseuds/MissMello
Summary: Action is a Jet through and through and there's NOTHING that could EVER make him doubt his destiny. Until a new girl moves into the neighborhood and a new gang takes to the streets.It's a dive into 1950's teenage life on the streets of New York. Welcome to the concrete jungle!Follows movie story line but borrows from the Broadway play.
Relationships: Action (West Side Story)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. New girl on the block

Action was a hothead as long as he could remember. He couldn't think of a time when he wouldn't kick someone's teeth in for calling him little or talking behind his back or about his mum and although his mother is never done talking about the innocent days of his childhood he simply thinks she remembers those days a little more rose-coloured than they actually were.

There wasn't a day when he wasn't out with his buddies, his family, the _Jets_ and as lieutenant he had a big responsibility too. Riff and Tony were the leaders of the gang Action cherished so much but if either of them put out a direct order it was partly onto Action to carry it out and make sure that the others did as well.

Action was with the gang almost from the beginning. Tony had seen him punch the living hell out of three bigger boys who had said something that Action didn't even hear very well but he was sure it wasn't good and the next day he and Riff had drafted him in. He was with the Jets now. He had some purpose.

When Action joined the gang, the gang had been tiny and the two others that had been in the gang then, two fellars called Drizzle and Rocky were gone soon anyway. Drizzle and his parents had moved to Chicago and Rocky had gotten tuberculosis and three months after Action got in he died of it.

But life moved on and Action never did have much time to get to know either of them and nor did Riff and Tony really.

Over the next years lots of people joined the gang thanks to Riff and Tony's undying enthusiasm, confidence and fearlessness and anyone in the Jets would follow them wherever they went, no matter how sticky the situation got.

About a year and a half after Action joined another boy joined, he was tall and had light blue eyes and a cool demeanour and Riff coined him Ice. Although Action stayed lieutenant, he knew it would be Ice who'd follow up Riff and Tony if the unlucky day ever came that the two of them kicked the bucket. Action was too heated, didn't think straight when he was angry (and he was angry a lot), couldn't plan out strategies. Ice could do those things. Action would be the lieutenant though because Action was the man you wanted by your side. Action got your back. He'd fight till either the enemy or he was dead, he was that loyal. Action didn't mind being lieutenant forever. He wouldn't have to think.

It was early in the spring, it was still too cold to lose the coat, when a new family settled in the West Side. New families settled all the time but since the winter it had been mainly Puerto Ricans. This family was white and Action heard they were from Europe somewhere. He didn't care. As long as they didn't interfere it didn't matter who they were.

There was a lot of buzz though because apparently they had a daughter that caught the eyes of many Jets. Action hadn't seen her yet but he had his girl Clarice so he shouldn't be thinking about other girls anyway. His loyalty didn't end with the Jets.

Around the same time Tony started showing up less and less to Jet meetings and hangouts. Riff said that he was dealing with some stuff but Action knew his friends well and knew it was something else. He didn't question it though.

March turned into April and the first time Action saw Bee was at school. Action rarely went to school anymore. Sometimes, when he went to pick up Clarice or Baby John he'd look around the building suspiciously like teachers would burst out of their classrooms and lock him up in the dreaded institution. They couldn't if they tried, he told himself. Besides, they wouldn't try anyway. He was a bad student and a rotten apple they often told his mother when he was younger.

He and A-Rab were standing outside the school waiting for Baby John, smoking cigarettes and kicking rocks, when the bell rang and students piled out of the double front doors. A-Rab nudged his shorter friend and pointed up the stairs to a pretty dark blonde girl with dark blue eyes and an icy smile. Action felt something stir at the bottom of his stomach but didn't show any of it. 'What!' He barked annoyed at A-Rab and A-Rab, used to his friend's stormy moods, nudged him again.

'It's that girl we've been talking about, the new one. She's a looker, ain't she?' He said and Action saw no choice but to agree. 'That's the chick, eh?' He asked contemplatively. The girl passed them and her eyes passed over A-Rab nonchalantly and landed on Action. They lingered a bit and then the corners of her mouth turned up just a little bit more. She was gone before Action had time to think about what that meant.

'Rabbit!' A shrill voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up to see Pauline, A-Rab's girlfriend, bound down the stairs landing in her boyfriend's arms. Clarice and Graziella, Riff's girl, came after her. 'Rabbit, honey, how nice of you to pick me up!' She shrieked, kissing his cheek. He put her down uncomfortably. 'We're here for Baby John actually..' He said and Action huffed annoyed at the uncertainty in his voice. Action was always certain.

'It's always the Jets..' Clarice piped in with Pauline's disappointed face, leaning down a bit to give Action a kiss. Action was unresponsive, feeling irritated. 'They're our gang, baby.' He said. 'But I am your girl.' Clarice said, snaking her arms around his neck and pecking his lips another time. He took her arms and disbanded her from around him though, not so easily distracted. 'You knew what you were getting into.' He said and Clarice exhaled in a frustrated manner. Graziella was checking her make-up in the little mirror she had slipped out of her purse she had with her instead of a schoolbag and Pauline was busy retidying her precious 'Rabbit's' hair.

Action saw the thin form of Baby John walk down the stairs and he strode up to him to grab him by the shoulder, a bit high up for the short Action and steer him away from the school. 'Come on bunny-boy.' He said mockingly to A-Rab, hitting him in the shoulder as they passed him. 'I'll drop by tonight.' He said to Clarice and she pouted at him. 'You better, darling.' She said.

As they walked off Graziella called after them 'Tell Riff I'm waiting for him to take me out!' but Action strode on, pushing his fellow Jets on. 'What are we? Your messenger boys?' He shouted back but as he rounded the corner he could see Baby John hold up his thumb for Graziella to see, to signal he'd pass the message along.

That night Action went by Clarice's place. She lived with her parents and two older brothers and none of them liked Action one bit so when he wanted to visit he'd have to come by the fire escape. Her window was already opened a bit when he started to knock on it.

She was sitting at her vanity, applying the brush of one of her silly make-up things to her cheeks. She didn't turn around when he jumped from the window into her room but he saw her eyes shift to him in the mirror. 'Hi baby.' He said, walking forward.

He laid his hands on her shoulders, leaning forward to kiss her neck and he felt her shiver slightly under his touch. He felt silently proud to have such an effect on a girl. 'Action, come sit with me.' She said, moving to the side and patting the now free space next to her.

He moved to sit next to her, his arm still around her shoulder and he looked at her in the mirror. She looked at him. 'Action, I want you to start making nice with my family.' She said testily and Action shot up immediately, angrily opening his mouth, but she had a hold of his arm and pushed him back down. 'Come now Action, they'll like you once they get to know you.' She said but Action wasn't convinced.

'No, they won't. I've finked their only girl away from them.' Action said, pulling his arm away and sitting on his hands. Clarice smiled. 'And I'm thrilled that you did.' She purred, rubbing his neck and turning his face so he'd look at her. 'Just come by the front door once and we'll see what happens.' She said softly and he nodded unwillingly.

She swung both her legs over his and pulled herself onto his lap, kissing him deeply and his worries were forgotten in a second. He kissed her back forcibly, pushing her backwards until she was laying on the little bench in front of her vanity and he was laying on top of her. He didn't cease kissing her as he started unbuttoning her sweater and her hands were in his hair.

'C'mon honey..' Clarice murmured against his lips. 'The bed..' and after a few more seconds he lifted himself off her and they both hurried themselves to the bed, Clarice getting rid of her tights quickly and Action kicking off his shoes and quickly losing his pants. He jumped on the bed with her, laughing at her giggle as he lowered himself onto her but they both jump back up when there's a knock on the door.

'Clarice, can I come in?' Brother number two asked and Clarice shrieked at him that she wasn't decent. Action quickly picked up his clothes and ducked into the closet and Clarice put on a robe. 'My shoe, my shoe!' Action hissed from the closet and Clarice kicked the forgotten shoe under the bed, before opening the door.

Clarice was quite tiny, one of the reasons Action liked her although she was still just a tiny bit taller than he was, and her hair was a dark auburn but her brothers, both of them, were tall as trees, although a bit lanky, and their hair was a lot lighter. She took after their father Action knew, whose hair was also quite dark.

'I was just about to go to bed, Marty, what do you want?' Clarice asked impatiently, her shoulder length hair dishevelled. She was slightly out of breath. 'Chill it Clarice, I just came to talk. We'll be done in a minute.' He said and he pushed Clarice down to the bed, sitting down next to her. 'I just wanted to talk to you about boys.' He said and Clarice's eyes shifted to the closet in which Action was hiding, clutching his pants and one shoe.

'What about them?' Clarice asked, slightly more nervous than a second before. 'Well, I've noticed that you're pretty popular at school and after that little thing a couple of weeks ago..' He said and Clarice frowned at him. 'You mean when you, Sean and dad chased my _boyfriend_ out of the house before I could even properly introduce him to you?' She asked him sceptically and Marty looked annoyed at her description of the incident but he nodded anyway.

'He's a good for nothing hoodlum, Clarice. He's in a gang, dropped out of school and doesn't even have a job. And you should know about his mother.' He said and Action fell his blood began to boil as he mentioned his mum. Clarice stuck her nose in the air. 'I don't care what you think of him.' She said and Marty stood up from the bed in his frustration.

'I'm just saying that you should be careful with the boys around you because they're all after only one thing.' He said mysteriously, not aware that Action had already gotten that one thing a long time ago. Clarice got up as well, pushing her brother out of the room. 'Action is lovely, get over it.' She said, slamming the door shut behind him.

Action fell out of the closet when she opened the doors and tackled her to the floor with him. She went to kiss him with a flirty smile on her face but he got to his feet quickly, shooting into his pants. 'I should go.' He said hastily. She looked hurt but didn't say anything as she sat up and watched him fish his left shoe from under her bed.

'See you around, honey.' He said, pressing a kiss to her cheek and escaping through her window, his shoes in hand. He ran down the stairs, sitting down at the last step to put on his shoes, quickly tying them before bolting out of the alley. He slowed down as soon as he got to the street, feeling at comfort in the tarmac jungle of which he and his buddies were kings.

He stalked down the sidewalk and saw two people coming his way in the distance. His back tensed as he narrowed his eyes at the two but he relaxed when he saw that one of them was a girl and they both had too light a skin to be Puerto Rican.

As they came closer he saw that the girl was the girl he had seen that afternoon, the one who A-Rab had pointed out. The one the Jets had been nudging each other about ever since she came to the city two weeks prior.

With her was a younger looking boy that looked a lot like her so Action assumed he was her brother but he didn't care much either way because he was too busy looking the girl up and down. He stopped short in his step and looked at her as the two passed and he saw her looking him up and down as well. And then she winked.

She quickly looked in front of her again, grabbing her brother's arm and stepping up her pace but Action had seen it and it had left him befuddled and dazed, walking on again. What a girl. Her light caramel hair bouncing off her neck, pinned up in loose curls. Her smooth, white skin shining in the street lights and her dark, piercing blue eyes.

It was all but luck that Action got to Doc's candy store unharmed as he wasn't paying much attention to all that was around him. The bell above the door rang as he walked in and the Jets that were still hanging around there greeted him enthusiastically. 'Back already Action? I figured you'd be a while if you were visiting Clarice.' Big Deal commented but Action shoved him off his barstool, sitting on it himself instead. Big Deal knew better than to argue it and trailed, muttering half-hearted insults under his breath, off to the back of the joint.

The bell rang again and Riff came in, Graziella hanging off his arm. Action threw a lost bottle cap that was laying on the bar at Baby John's head, who rubbed his forehead acceptingly. 'You played messenger, Baby John?' Action asked, momentarily feeling annoyed with the youngest member of the Jets. 'Ah, lay off him, will you?' A-Rab said, sticking up for his friend.

'What's this friction brewing among the ranks?' Riff said loudly, laying his arms around Action and A-Rab's shoulders. Action grunted, flipping out a cigarette and lighting it with another grunt. A-Rab just shrugged. 'Eh, what's up Action-boy? You seem off. More than usually I mean, hehe.' Riff said, smacking him on the shoulder.

'Clarice threw him out!' Big Deal piped up from the back. 'I thought I told you to shut it!' Action shouted back at him, getting up from the stool but Riff pushed him back down. 'Easy Action-boy.' He warned his hothead lieutenant. 'Is that true then? Your girl ditched you?' He asked and Action shook his head. 'Of course she didn't.' He said, taking a drag of his cigarette. Riff laughed, pulling up a chair to sit next to Action. 'Quite confident there, aren't you?' He commented.

'Action, I hope I ain't intruding on some private matters here –' Riff said 'You probably are.' Action interjected but Riff ignored him '–but you gotta cool it. We know how you are and we love you for it, but lately it's been getting worse.' Riff said and the boys around them nodded timidly. Action let the cig dangle between his lips as he turned to look at his brothers.

'It's them bleeding Spics!' Action said and as soon as he said it everyone roared in approval of that statement. 'We are barely rid of 'm Emeralds and now those Sharks are popping up everywhere. I'm sick of those stinking PR's!' He shouted out and Riff nodded, patting his arm.

'You're right, Action, you're right. Them stinking PR's are walking our turf like it's theirs. Like we haven't fought with blood and skin to call it ours.' Riff said and silently everyone in the store admired the way Riff always formulated what he felt. Not only did it sound great, you could also tell that he really meant it.

Before anyone, let alone Riff, could add to that, Doc entered his own store via the back, carrying a crate of soda. 'What are you kids still doing here. It's almost eleven, go home!' He said tiredly but all his words did was make everyone settle down from their excited stands, leaning back in their chairs again.

When Doc disappeared to the back for a second time A-Rab jumped back up. 'Me and Action saw the new chick again today, didn't we Action?' A-Rab said and Action nodded as he reached over the bar counter to grab a soda out of the crate. 'Yeah, we saw her at the school.' A-Rab continued, encouraged by Action's nod.

'What's it with you boys' obsession with the broad..!' Graziella said indignantly and Riff laughed as he swung his arm around her waist. 'Are you feeling jealous, Graz?' He asked her and she stuck her nose in the air. 'You know more about her?' Joyboy asked Graziella and she shrugged and Action could tell that, although not very pleased with the subject, she was very pleased to be the centre of attention and the source of information.

'She's in my year but she's in a different class. Wilma says she and her family moved down here from Denmark though.' Graziella said and all boys in the store were hanging off her lips, except for Riff, who was calmly tracing patterns on his girlfriend's dress with his fingers, and for Action, who sat with his back turned, moodily drinking his soda, thinking of lighting another ciggie.

'Oh and she has a twin brother!' Graziella added. 'He's called Emil and he's in my class. He's really thin and he looks like he's twelve.' She leaned on Riff's shoulder. 'Wilma says her old man's an accountant and they moved here because he got busted for fraud back at wherever home is for them.' Graziella finished and everyone frowned, thinking about what the redhead had just told them. Action didn't want to think about it.

In the next twenty minutes everyone piled out of Doc's, either going home or going to the other's home, but Action stayed seated at the counter and when lastly Graziella and Riff left, Riff squeezed Action's shoulder. 'Take care of yourself, buddy-boy.' He said and Action looked over his shoulder, the hint of a smile on his face. 'I could say that to you. Make sure you can walk in the morning, will you?' Action said and Riff let out a bellowing laugh, smacking him on his back. 'The nerve on that fellow!' He said to Graziella as he walked out. She gave him a questioning glance, not having heard their soft conversation.

Action sat alone for another ten minutes before Doc appeared again. 'Action, kid, why don't you go home like your friends. It can't be that bad, right?' Doc said, referring to his mum's stay-at-home-job and it was that Action was completely certain that Doc meant well, he was a good egg, or he would've crippled him for mentioning it. Instead he settled on a glare.

Doc sighed and said; 'You can stay the night here. Better to have you ruin your posture by sleeping on the floor than get into trouble on the streets.' He offered tiredly and Action didn't answer him but just stood up from his stool, politely waiting for Doc to get him a blanket and perhaps a pillow if he could spare one.

Once he got it he told Doc good night and went to nest himself beside the jukebox, out of sight from the shop window. He waited for the sound of Doc locking up and the click of the backdoor closing as he left for his apartment upstairs, before closing his eyes.

Action turned around and opens his eyes again, sitting up a bit. The floor was extremely uncomfortable. He put his head in his hands, groaning softly. Why couldn't he keep his cool a bit more? He had no problem being as action-driven as he was, but sometimes being able to look ahead and judge situations fairly had to come in handy.

Action now regretted storming off earlier that night. Clarice had done nothing wrong, she couldn't help being related to a drip like her brother. If he had taken a deep breath instead of jumping barefoot out of her window he would've had a perfectly nice bed to share with a pretty girl like Clarice. But he had bolted off in anger again.

Action groaned again, flopping down on the hard floor as he thought of his girlfriend. He'd have to go by her school the next day, try and apologize. He was never very good with apologies, but he'd try. Perhaps he could sleep in her bed the next night then instead of on Doc's floor.


	2. The Kleins

Action woke up because of the little bell above the front door rang. He sat up a bit and looked around, sleepily rubbing his eyes. He heard someone walking around and assumed it was Doc so he took not much notice from it but he quickly did when someone shrieked.

He jumped up from the floor, already ready for a fight, but it was just a girl. He took a double take. It wasn't just any girl. It was the girl. 'Oh God, you frightened me!' She said in a soft voice, her hand on her heart and a relieved smile on her face. Her accent was weird, definitely not New Yorkese. It sounded quite singsong and she swallowed half her consonants, which made it hard for Action at first to understand what she was saying. He remembered Graziella saying she was from Denmark.

'Well, what were you sneaking up on me for then?' Action said, relaxing as he realized there was no danger. The girl raised her eyebrows. 'I wasn't exactly expecting someone to be sleeping on the floor of this shop.' She said and Action shrugged, deciding that was fair.

He picked up the blanket and pillow and laid them on the table in a big heap. The girl eyed it and when Action frowned at her, she bit her lip and went to fold up the blanket. Action rolled his eyes. Girls he thought.

'So, why are you sleeping here? Does Doc know you're here?' She asked and he nodded. 'Who do you think gave me the blanket and pillow?' He asked her and she shrugged, laying the pillow on top of the now folded blanket. 'I don't know, just asking.' She said and Action walked towards the counter, pulling a coke from underneath the countertop. He was about to open it when he looked back at the girl. 'You want one?' He asked and she seemed to think about it for a second before she nodded. 'Yeah, that'd be nice.' She said and he threw her a bottle, which she caught expertly. She sat down on the chair and he hopped up onto the counter and they both sipped their coke in silence.

'So, what's your name?' She asked him. 'They call me Action.' He answered, sitting up a big straighter, proud of his nickname. She nods, looking at him expectantly. He frowns back at her. She sighed and he senses she's annoyed. 'Well, my name is Beatrice, thanks for asking.' She said eventually, putting down the half empty bottle on the table and standing up. 'Well, if Doc isn't here, I better go.' She said, picking up her coat and purse, which Action hadn't noticed before, that were laying on a barstool.

'Wait, you're here for Doc?' He asked her, catching her arm. Action saw her eyes shoot down to where his fingers went around her arm before settling on him again. 'Well, I wasn't here for you.' She said with half a smile and Action couldn't help himself but chuckle.

He let her go and went to the backdoor. 'He's often in the back and doesn't hear the doorbell.' Action said, opening the door. 'Doc! You have a customer!' He shouted down the stairs. He heard a muffled answer from Doc and he let the door fall closed again.

'He'll be here in a second.' He told Beatrice. She smiled at him and Action felt something stir inside of him. 'Thanks.' She said. Action jumped back up on the counter. 'So your name is Beatrice?' He asked, by means of making up for not asking earlier. She nodded, the smile not leaving her face. 'Yeah, but I don't like how you Americans pronounce it so everyone calls me Bea or Bee.' She said and Action laughed. He was about to say more, something funny he hoped, when Doc interrupted.

'Oh, Bea, you're here for the crate, right?' He asked, ducking underneath the counter, pulling out a crate filled with soda bottles. 'Thank you very much.' Bee said, taking the heavy crate from him and swinging her purse over her shoulder. 'I'll see you around Action.' She said to Action and Action nodded in goodbye to her. She walked out the door.

Doc nudged Action's shoulder. 'What the hell was that for!' Action immediately shouted out but Doc was used to his temper and ignored it. 'What kind of a gentleman are you, letting a lady walk a heavy crate home all by herself?' He asked Action and Action frowned at that and then groaned. 'See you around Doc.' He said, running out the door, after Bee.

She was already halfway down the street when Action caught up with her. He suddenly noticed how tall she was. She was a lot taller than Clarice who he was pretty much at the same height with, but Bee was an easy five centimetres taller than Action, the top of his head only reaching her eyes.

'Here, let me help you with that.' Action said, making a grab for the crate. Bee wasn't so easy to let go though. 'No, I've got it, it's fine.' She said, keeping hold of the crate. Together they wrestled for the right to carry the crate and although shorter, Action was a lot stronger so in the end he tore it from her delicate looking hands.

'You're a dame, you shouldn't have to.' He grunted in the end. Bee said nothing, just looked a little peeved, as he walked alongside her. 'You live close by?' He asked as they rounded the corner. She nodded. 'Just up the street from here.' She answered him.

She was right, she did live very close by. She tried the door handle of the front door, but the door jammed and she had to rough it up to open it. She held the door open for him and he stepped in, walking up the stairs. 'We're the second door at the top floor.' She called up as she walked after him. 'Why do you need so many soda bottles anyway? Big family?' He asked seriously but she laughed. 'No, my father's birthday is tomorrow so my mother ordered a crate from Doc's.' She explained, walking past him once they reached the top floor, so she could open the door for him. He stepped in after her.

'Mor!?' Bee called out, hanging her coat off a rack next to the door. 'Jeg er her!' Her mother called back. Action was assuming that this was all Danish because he didn't understand a word of it. He followed Bee as she walked into the kitchen and he saw a young woman standing by the sink, cleaning carrots by the looks of it.

'Oh, you've brought a friend!' She said in the same accent as Bee's, although a lot heavier. 'I just met him actually. He was at Doc's and offered to carry the crate for me.' Bee said. 'Mor, this is.. Eh, Action he says he's called.' She said, introducing Action. 'Action, this is my mother, Stine Hendriksen.' She said, gesturing towards her mother.

'You can put the crate down on the table.' Mrs Hendriksen told Action and Action did as he was told. 'Would you like a soda for the trouble?' Bee's mother asked Action but Action shook his head. 'No, I've already had one at Doc's. I'm good.' He answered her. He shoved his hands in his pockets. 'I better be off again. I have to meet some people.' He said. Mrs Hendriksen nodded, pushing her daughter in the shoulder. 'See him to the door, min pige.' She said and Bee nodded.

She walked all the way downstairs with him, to make sure the door didn't jam again and he stood on her sidewalk, looking back at her. 'Your mother looks young.' He commented and Bee shrugged. 'My parents married very young.' She explained vaguely. Action nodded. Family was complicated. He didn't need to have that explained to him.

'So, maybe, if you want to, you could come by Doc's later today. Me and a couple of my buddies will be there.' He said, not quite sure why he said it. To help out his fellow Jets, he told himself. They all wanted to meet her so badly, he'd be a jerk not to grab this opportunity for them.

Bee seemed to think about it for a minute and then nodded. 'Yeah, I'd like that.' She said and a smile spread over her face and for a moment he felt like a dear caught in the headlights, the insides of his stomach feeling gooey and nervous. A second later he regained his senses and said; 'Well, I guess I'll see you later then.' He said. He turned on his feet and sprinted off towards the playground, hoping to find A-Rab or Big Deal already up and about.

He had met Big Deal and Gee-Tar instead and they had jumped a couple of Sharks that had dared to get onto their territory. They had taken their belts away from them and the boys had run off, holding their pants up for dear life.

Later that day Action had gone by the school and convinced Clarice to skip class for him. In the beginning she had been a bit miffed about how he had left her the night before, but he had taken her to see a midday show at the movies and she had brightened up after that. Not that they saw much of it. It was a romantic picture with Debbie Reynolds in the lead but they could've gone to the bugs bunny movie just as well for all they watched it.

It was almost four, most of the Jets had shown to Doc's by now and most of their girls had too. Clarice was leaning against Action's chest, nested between his legs as he sat on top of the counter. Action had already forgotten about the Danish girl from that morning.

The door jingled and everyone looked around to see who came in and all conversation lulled as they realized it was the girl they had all been talking about. Bee's eyes shifted over the predominantly male crowd and eventually landed on Action who was feeling extraordinarily aware of Clarice in between his legs, her hands up and in his hair.

'Eh..' She murmured uncomfortably. 'Hi Action.' She said eventually and all eyes that had previously been on Bee now turned to him. He grew angry in his discomfort. 'Everyone.' He said to the store 'This is Bee. Bee, these are the Jets.' He said, impatiently introducing the two parties to each other. Bee waved, seemingly feeling as uncomfortable about the whole ordeal as him.

Riff was the first to break the silence. 'Action, buddy, you didn't tell us you got cosy with the new chick.' He said and Action could feel Clarice tense up against his chest. Action couldn't laugh about it either. 'We didn't get cosy or nothing!' He said loudly and Bee shook her head fervently. 'We met here this morning and he said I could come hang out with you for a bit.' She said and everyone stared at her. 'I'm new after all.' She added uncertainly in her soft accent.

That was enough and every Jet jumped up, swarming the poor girl, asking how she was doing and how she was liking New York and if she'd want to go out sometimes and Action pulled out a cigarette in annoyance. Riff pushed Graziella aside and nudged Action approvingly. 'Good job, Action-boy, I know a lot of the boys have been looking for an opening!' He said and Action grunted.

Clarice was itching to get back into her boyfriend's spotlight. She turned around a bit, moving possibly even closer to him and she leaned in close to his ear. 'Why don't we pick up where we left off at the nickelodeon?' She whispered seductively and Action did like the sound of that. He leaned into her, nuzzling her neck. 'Where?' He murmured against her throat and she giggled. 'Meet me at my place in fifteen. I'll be waiting.' She said and Action nodded as she pulled back. She kissed him quickly and then sprinted out of the store in a hurry. Action hoped she'd be wearing the lacy pair of lingerie. He liked that one.

He lazily smoked his cigarette as he looked at his fellow Jets try to get anywhere with Bee. It didn't seem to be working as she politely refused all of them and made her way to Action. 'Hi there.' She said. 'Where's your.. Friend?' She asked him, referring to Clarice. It somehow irritated him that she asked about her.

'She went home.' He replied to her, flicking his cigarette out the still open door. She nodded pensively. 'So..' She said in a whispery tone as if she didn't want anyone to hear. 'What are these Jets exactly?' She asked and Action frowned. She raised her eyebrows at his face. 'Sorry, was I supposed to know? I'm afraid it's not really a thing in Copenhagen.' She said in excuse of herself but she said it with a wink.

'We are the Jets.' Action answered her question, spreading his arms. 'It's our gang.' He added at her confused glance. She didn't look any less confused after that statement though. 'Your gang?' She asked in disbelief. 'What's that about?' She asked and Action didn't really know how to answer that. Luckily Riff seemed to be listening.

'The Jets are the kings, girlie.' He said and Bee's intense gaze shifted from Action to Riff. 'We own these streets and if someone tries to take it from us, we cripple 'm.' He said and Bee shrugged. 'Okay, whatever you say.' She said, apparently still not understanding. Action narrowed his eyes at her. If she was going to stay in New York she better dig it soon and dig it good.

Riff seemed to agree with Action. 'Exactly, honey, whatever we say. Whatever we say goes.' Riff said. 'You're from Europe, right? They've got kings where you come from.' He said and Bee nodded hesitantly. 'The Danish Royal House is the oldest in Europe actually. Over a thousand years old.' She answered and Action realized that everyone was listening in. 'Ooh, ain't that fancy!' Snowboy said mockingly and everyone snickered. Bee didn't seem fazed by it.

'Well, you're in America now, baby and here we are the only kings you need to worry about.' Riff said and Bee nodded again but now she seemed to understand more of what he was saying. 'Well, it's a good thing you boys like me, right?' She asked and Action was surprised how two seconds ago she gazed at Riff intently, not worried about anything at all, but now she was batting her eyelashes like Graziella had taught her herself.

Every boy in the place quickly agreed with her and Action noticed Riff giving her an appraising look. Graziella looked a bit less appraising. Action slipped off the countertop and patted Riff on the back. 'I'm going to see Clarice. I'll see you tonight.' He said. 'Don't hurry!' He called after with a laugh. Before Action walked out the store he turned around for Bee. He caught her looking at him but she didn't look away, just smiled at him. He didn't know what to do with himself and gave her a curt nod before taking off towards Clarice's place.

He was in luck. Clarice was indeed wearing the lacy number he was hoping for but as she pulled him down to her bed he could only imagine what it would look like on a certain other girl.

From that day on Bee seemed to be spending more and more time with the Jets although she never expressed any desire to belong with the Jets. She didn't hook up with any of them and if they talked Jet business she made sure she was occupied with something else. It annoyed Action to no ends. The Jets were the greatest and they didn't want just anybody in their midst but they had all taken to the Danish girl at first sight. For her to not even show interest? It felt insulting. Especially because she was Danish. She wasn't an American and although her accent was refined and her English was good, she was no New Yorker. She was just an immigrant. She should be honoured that they had adopted her in the streets.

Action knew it irked Riff too. Most Jets weren't aware of everything that was going on. Ice probably knew, he always seemed to do, Tony would know if he'd show up for once. Riff had been especially gracious towards her, expecting her to take it just as graciously but every time she'd smile politely if one of the Jets asked her out or she'd silently get out when they started talking about fighting one of the other gangs, the frown on the Jet leader deepened. Action wondered when he'd have enough of it.

The same didn't go for her brother though. Her twin brother, Emil, was itching to get into the Jets. Riff was having none of it though. His sister was one thing. She was a girl, so she could never be a Jet anyway and the boys liked her. Having a girl around for kicks, immigrant or not, was all okay. She was white so it didn't complicate anything really.

Having a non-American actually in the Jets was something different entirely. Besides, although Bee was hot as a stove, her brother was a bit like Baby John and having one of them was more than enough. Emil was older than Baby John though, although he looked perhaps even younger. Still, Action got to admit he was persistent. Every day he'd show up with his sister and soon after he kicked out again. Bee had started to leave with him though and after a while Emil was allowed to sit by the door and not come any closer. He was taking it though.

It was fascinating, really, how much two twins could be so different. They seemed close despite their differences and although they weren't inseparable, they were seen together a lot and Bee always seemed to pop up behind Emil when one of the Jets was picking on him, smiling one of her charming smiles and asking if anything was wrong.

Action didn't really talk to her, apart from some comments in passing, since the day they met and that was largely due to his growing annoyance with the girl. A smaller part of him just didn't like the strange little pinches he'd get in his stomach every time she smiled in his general direction.

'You better not hog her!' Big Deal told Action one day as they stood against the wall in the playground. Bee was sitting next to her brother, their backs leaning against the fence and Bee was flipping through a book. She seemed to be doing that a lot. Reading.

'Hog who?' Action asked, pretending to be dumb. 'Bee!' Big Deal said, stomping him on the shoulder. Action stomped him back a lot harder immediately and Big Deal, who was two heads taller than him, quickly accepted defeat before Action could get his temper started. 'I ain't hogging nobody.' Action said after a few moments.

'Sure you are!' Big Deal replied. 'She don't look at any of us twice but always notices when you enter the room.' He said and Action didn't know how to respond to that. 'Well, I got Clarice and don't care about the chick.' He said eventually. 'Maybe you should let her know.' Big Deal opted and Action shrugged moodily.

Action was walking home, flanked by Diesel and A-Rab. He wasn't eager to perhaps seeing his mum again, but he desperately needed a change of clothes, mostly because Clarice was starting to complain about it. He considered the possibility of storing his clothes in Doc's basement, along with the armoury, but he told himself to decide on that later.

He told his friends to wait outside for him and he ran up the stairs of the building. He was about to open the door to his mum's apartment when it was already opened from the inside. It was a man Action didn't know but his hair was tousled and his tie was undone. Action didn't know who he was but he could guess what he was doing there.

'Sorry kid, didn't know she had another one waiting.' The man said to Action with an uncomfortable smile but Action shoved him to the side, too angry to talk, and he dashed in. 'Felix, what are you doing here?' He heard his mother call after him as he stalked past her but he ignored and banged open his bedroom door, throwing off his shirt quickly and going through his dresser for another one.

He heard his mum say goodbye to her friend but then the pitter-patter of her footsteps led to Action's room, stopping at the threshold of the open door. 'Felix, mein Junge, why did you come home?' She asked him accusingly, a distinct German accent on her voice. Action found a relatively clean shirt and pulled it over his head, spinning around to face her. 'You expect me to keep wearing the same shirt forever?' He asked her venomously and she narrowed her eyes at him.

'Well, alright then, would you like a cup of tea?' She asked him with a melodramatic sigh, turning around and walking off towards the kitchen. 'No, a couple of buddies of mine are waiting for me!' Action called out from his bedroom as he switched his pants too. He picked up his shoes and went to the kitchen, sitting down at one of the chairs to put them back on.

His mother scoffed. 'Your buddies..' She said mockingly. 'I've seen the boys you've been running off with.' She commented but Action jumped up from his chair, without having tied his left shoe. 'You-' He spat, jabbing a finger at her '-have nothing to say about none of them!' He told her.

There was a tense silence in the kitchen as Action tried to keep his temper under control and his mum looked at him, surprisingly looking both hurt and sceptical at the same time. She decided to ignore Action's outburst. 'Your cousin is coming over this weekend.' She said and Action's shoulders deflated, and he sat back down to tie his left shoe.

'I'll make sure to stop by.' Action said. 'You better. Astrid loves hanging out with you.' His mum said. Action grunted at that as he stood up. He patted his pockets to make sure he had had taken the switchblade out of his old pants and then went to leave the kitchen. 'Oh, Felix?' His mother called, stopping him just as he was about to walk out. He looked over his shoulder, a questioning look on his face. 'Ich liebe dich.' She said and he sighed heavily as he turned back around and left the apartment.

All the way back to Doc's Action kept quiet and A-Rab and Diesel didn't push him. They knew Action always turned a bit in himself short after he's seen his mother. He would revert to his old self sooner rather than later so they didn't worry, but it did always feel a bit eerie when Action merely shot you a glare when you made a joke at his expense instead of just beating you to pulp like her normally was prone to do.

Action was thinking. Whenever he and his mother crossed things usually got really cross really quick. He didn't understand his mother and he didn't really want to understand his mother but his mum was tougher than he gave her credit for.

His mother, Andrea Klein, was born in New York but her parents had never learned English when they moved to America before and at home the native language had been German so little Andrea had only started learning English when she was nearly twelve and the city finally found out that there was an unregistered child living in Yorkville that had never seen the inside of a school. Yorkville was a German neighbourhood. English was as foreign to her as Chinese.

When she finally did start to grasp the concept of the English language, she started crossing the borders of the neighbourhood and found the Italians to the south. And one Italian in particular. Andrea Klein fell head over heels for Nicky Sisco, Dominic to his mother, and after a while Nicky started to notice the loudmouth German girl too.

After four years they got married but Nicky's grandmother, who was a fanatic Catholic, made Nicky get an annulment against the protestant-raised Andrea. Andrea packed her stuff and moved to the other side of Manhattan without telling anyone out of humiliation and heartbreak and if all of that hadn't been bad enough, two weeks after her move she had found out she was pregnant with a baby boy.

Life was rough on Andrea. She was a knocked up German dame living on her own and with World War Two just begun there was not a hand of comfort offered to her. That's when she started doing favours for men when they paid enough and after even her measly cleaning job decided to kick her to the curb, these favours became her job.

December 1940 Felix Klein was born. She had considered giving the boy his father's family name but considering her father didn't even know he had a son and Andrea hated his family intensely, she decided to keep the boy completely to herself and give him her name too.

Despite the German name, Felix didn't grow up to look very German. Andrea was blond and tall and had green eyes but Felix was dark in every way, with dark hair and dark eyes and skin that tanned easily in the sun. Even his mood was dark a lot of the time. Andrea, who was determined to give her son a good home when he was born and she first laid eyes on his tiny little face, found it hard to look at him as he looked exactly like his father.

But for better or for worse, she raised the kid and loved him but her so called career was a strain on their relationship. She took business home up till he was still a toddler, locking him into his room when there was a client, but when he got older he started to ask question and she decided he was old enough to stay at home alone and she started working the streets.

And four year old Action hit the streets as well, in an entirely different way naturally. He fought with the other kids and consequently earned their respect, played baseball and basketball, stole apples and records and hung out at Doc's. He was almost seven when his mother remembered that he had to go to school. It didn't last very long. He quit school when he was fourteen, the day after he joined the Jets. The Jets was all he needed now. Speaking of Jets.

'Action, buddy-boy, what are you cracking that thick skull of yours about?' Riff's voice cut through Action's thoughts and Action looked up in a daze. With a start he realized that he and the boys had arrived at Doc's and his fellow Jets were lounging outside of the shop in the sun. Riff was sitting in the centre of the semi circle and looked at Action with a laugh on his face.

Action was faintly aware of Diesel and A-Rab giving Riff subtle shakes with their heads but Action just shrugged and sat down on the steps to the front door of the shop, pulling out a cigarette in silence. Everyone shot each other a meaningful glance but then quickly started conversation up like normal. Action felt silly and scolded himself for it. Usually he was always so alert to everything around him, always aware of the enemy trying to intrude on their turf, but now he arrived at Doc's, led by his friends without even the faintest of memory of walking there.

He blew out a frustrated puff of smoke and there was a slight lull in the conversation, which quickly flared up again before those frustrations could be taken out on any of them.

Action was mad at himself because he always got like that when he went to visit his mother. He didn't like himself like that. He wasn't sure if he liked himself to begin with really. He flicked his cigarette to the street and stood up. 'Are we going to bust some heads today or are we going to sit around like old geezers?' He proclaimed to the gang.

'Ease up Action.' Riff said, leaning over and patting him on the back and Action fell back down with a groan. 'Yeah, ease up Action-boy, we wouldn't want you hurt, would we?' Someone said and all the Jets looked up to see Lieutenant Shrank and Officer Krupke step out of their patrol car. 'Who was on look-out!?' Riff snapped and the Jets turned to Baby John who turned red and shrugged sheepishly, muttering an apologizing 'Gee!'.

'I'll hurt you!' Action shouted out to Shrank, jumping back up from the stairs but A-Rab, Diesel and Ice quickly stepped out in front of him and Riff made sure to put his hand on his lieutenant's shoulder.

'Oh, boys, boys, let him!' Shrank said, waving his hands at the teenagers. 'It'll land him in the can one of these days, might as well be today!' He said but the Jets stayed quiet, even Action, who was hissing and huffing but not saying anything.

'Officer, officer!' Someone called from across the street. It was a girl's voice and for a moment no one could see where it came from but then they saw the girl running towards them. Action calmed down a bit in confusion as he realized it was Bee.

'What is it, honey?' Shrank asked and the Jets were surprised to suddenly hear him use a far more concerned tone of voice. 'My brother..!' She gasped, as she came to a halt in front of the two policemen. 'Some guys beat him up! A gang! It's really bad!' She said and Shrank was obviously charmed by the distraught looking girl.

'Where?' He asked, opening the passenger door of the patrol car. 'By the school!' Bee said and Krupke and Shrank tapped their hats to her and sped off in their car in the direction of the school. Bee looked after them and then turned to the boys. 'You owe me for that one.' She said with a smile and everyone started laughing. 'How about we get you a drink?' Riff asked with a wink and Action, after a quick look around, noted Graziella wasn't around.

'Lying worth an Oscar does make you thirsty.' Bee said laughing and everyone poured into Doc's. Action leaned against the wall next to the darts board, keeping his eyes narrowed on Riff as he pulled a coke from under the bar counter and put it in front of Bee as she sat perched on a stool.

'There you go, darling!' He said with a wink and Bee took a sip. Action's eyes narrowed even more. There was far too much winking for his liking. 'Tastes glorious.' Bee complimented him and Riff made a small bow.

Action didn't brighten up for the rest of the day. Riff kept winking at Bee and Bee kept smiling back at him and when Riff suddenly started touching her too, accidentally grazing her hand and playfully putting his arm around her shoulder or waist. Action couldn't stand it anymore and after a full hour of endurance he stood up straight, bumping Baby John in the shoulder and left Doc's, ignoring Riff's 'Where're you going!?'

He wanted to see Clarice but she was at Graziella's. It was a sleepover, with some of the other girls, which is why the girls hadn't show up to Doc's and Riff felt like he didn't have to hold back on his self-proclaimed easy charm.

For a moment Action stood aimlessly on the corner of the street, deciding on what to do, but after a moment he figured that Clarice wouldn't mind him barging in (and if she did; too bad). Graziella was the one to open up. 'Action, what are you doing here? Did Riff send you?' She asked, a surprised look on her face. 'No, Riff's at Doc's, hey is Clarice here?' He asked and Graziella's face turned sour. 'We're having a sleepover Action, girls only.' She said and she started closing the door but Action pushed it back open. 'Call her.' He said and Graziella sighed annoyed.

'Clarice, your boyfriend's here!' She shouted into the hall. There was a lot of giggling coming from the living room before Clarice came out. 'Don't abandon us for too long.' Graziella said before she left the two alone. 'Hi-ya Rizz-baby.' Action said.

She leaned forward (and down a bit) to give him a kiss in greeting. 'Hi Action, what are you doing here?' She asked. He leaned against the doorpost. 'Just wondering if you want to come out.' He said and Clarice looked back into the house. She looked back at him. 'I can't, sugar, you know that. Graziella is-' 'Screw Graziella!' Action called out but he quieted down as Clarice hit him in the shoulder and he stepped forward. 'Who the hell cares what she thinks?' He asked her and Clarice giggled as he slipped his hands around her waist.

'Honey, Graziella's one of my best friends. I can't just ditch her. You wouldn't ditch the Jets, would you?' She asked him, fidgeting with the collar of his jacket. He let out a frustrated sigh and let go of his girlfriend's waist.

'Whatever, I'll see you tomorrow.' He said, turning on his heels. 'Oh, don't be mad with me Action!' She called after him but he ignored her calls and kept on marching down the hallway and down the stairs. He stood outside and knew he didn't want to go back to Doc's. He didn't know where he wanted to go instead though.

He took a moment to breath in the early evening air and then started walking. The night was still young and he could always stumble across something good later. He rounded a corner and bumped into someone else. He immediately jumped backwards, into a defensive position, but the figure that tripped over her feet and onto the ground wasn't offensive at all.

'Bee?' Action asked in surprise. 'What are you doing here?' But Bee quickly got to her feet, a distinct blush spreading over her cheeks and she pushed past him. 'Sorry, didn't mean to..' She just murmured, walking on but Action was suddenly feeling worried. She didn't seem well. He hurried after her and caught her wrist, stopping her.

'Hey, what's wrong? Did somebody bother you?' He asked her and she shook her head. 'No, I'm just heading home.' She said and Action frowned. 'Why, it's still early. Weren't you having fun at Doc's. With Riff..' He said, sounding more bitter than he intended to sound. She bit her lip as she gazed back at him. 'No, it wasn't for me.' She said dismissively.

She yanked her wrist loose from his grip and started walking again and Action watched her go.

When she rounded the corner he shook his head and stalked off the other way. His mind wandered towards the weekend. His cousin Astrid would come over. She came over every once in a while. She lived in the Bronx with her dad. Action felt of her like a sister. When he first introduced her to the Jets she got a fair bit of attention, but he quickly put an end to that. He loved his fellow gang members but they were no good for Astrid.

He wondered what Astrid would think of Bee. Or what Bee would think of Astrid. Action knew Astrid thought Clarice was a bimbo but he had told her to stuff it. She had told him to stuff Clarice. As impossible as it may seem, he could never stay angry at Astrid for long.

The streetlights flickered on and he looked up at the darkening sky. He couldn't see the stars, it wasn't dark enough for that anyway, but even if it was. You rarely saw any stars in New York.


	3. A day in the life

Bee's move to New York had gone fairly smooth up until then. Her parents had left her and Emil alone most of the time, her dad starting her new job as an accountant for a lawyers firm in the East Side right away and being too busy to spend time with them and their mum working six days a week as a cleaning lady as well. Bee knew they tried their best but she felt sad every time she came home from school and found the tiny apartment to be empty.

It was really tiny. Besides the kitchen and bathroom, it had three rooms, which was fine for a family smaller than theirs, although it were tiny little rooms as well. However, besides Bee and Emil there were two more children to the family. One was Rasmus, their by two years older brother and there was Signe, their two year old little sister. Bee shared a room with the toddler and her twin and older brother shared a room and their parents took the last room. The kitchen served as living room, although they didn't all fit comfortably in it.

A couple of weeks after they moved to New York Bee met Action. She had seen him around a couple of times before but she didn't think that he noticed her at all. Not until she had seen him at her school. He stood there with one of his buddies, A-Rab she later learned, and she had walked past and his eyes had followed her and for one terrifying second their eyes had met.

Oh those brown eyes. They looked hostile and untrusting but right on that moment they were just looking at her. She had seen him on the street once more after and he had looked at her then as well and she had hoped, deep inside, that he perhaps had liked _her_ too. But then she had met his _girlfriend_. Bee had shown up at Doc's wearing a nice dress and a bow in her hair, feeling thrilled that he had invited her but the first thing she saw coming in was the hands of the redhead in his hair and her body pressed into his chest and his arms around her waist. And he had left not ten minutes after she had come in.

She had told herself she had given up but couldn't quite answer herself when she wondered why she was still hanging around that ridiculous gang of his. They were just kids. Kids that were constantly talking about beating other kids and sometimes she'd come into Doc's and they were all sitting there, breathing hard with grins slapped on, but with bruises and cuts all over their faces and bodies and she just felt a heavy weight press onto her chest. This couldn't be good.

It was regular life now though and slowly she felt herself slip into a rhythm. Wake up, go to school, get home, visit Doc's, get back home again, make dinner, go to bed. When she was lucky her mum and dad would get home early and they'd eat dinner all together, but most of the time it was just her and Emil. Rasmus disappeared as soon as he woke up and didn't get home till late in evening.

One night, when Bee was already in bed, she had heard her dad yell at Rasmus for it. He had to finish school, get a job, make money. We were drowning as a family but Rasmus yelled back that it was dad's fault they were drowning in the first place. A minute later she had heard the front door slam and she knew that Rasmus had left again.

It was on to Bee to take care of her little sister. Two year old Signe spent most of the day with the elderly lady that lived directly underneath them, Mrs Moore, but Bee had to feed her in the morning and get her dressed and bring her to Mrs Moore and then, before dinner she'd have to pick her up again and read to her and put her to bed again. Bee loved her sister, she did, but a sixteen year old wasn't meant to be responsible for a two year old.

Bee and Emil had gone to the playground next to Doc's together after they had dropped their schoolbooks at home and gotten something to eat. As they entered the tarmac basketball court Bee's eyes immediately noticed that Action wasn't there and her shoulders fell back in disappointment.

She blinked when Emil went up the group of Jets, that was sitting around in the corner of the court, without hesitation and she quickly went after him to make sure he'd be alright. She didn't like how desperately he wanted to join the gang.

She understood why though. He was new in a city, a _country_ , and he needed new friends. And here they were, these cool guys that knew the ins and outs of New York (or this neighbourhood at least) and they were already hanging out with his sister. They weren't any good for Emil though. She had felt relief when she found out that they didn't want him in the gang, mixed with slight offense. He looked young and defenceless, but he had Viking blood, as her mother always said.

The Jets didn't look up as Emil went to stand next to them but when Bee took the place beside her twin, a couple of them waved. A-Rab and Snowboy decided to come up to them.

'How's it goin'?' Snowboy asked Bee, purposefully not looking at her brother. 'We are _both_ very well, thank you. We just came back from school.' She said and A-Rab nodded. 'Still going to school, heah?' He commented and she shot him a look. 'Of course, A-Rab. I _love_ learning.' She answered, only half-jokingly.

Snowboy made a face. 'Gee, Bee, you've ruined yourself completely to me now.' He said and she let out a laugh. 'Isn't that a shame.' She answered him. Snowboy swiftly walked off again, jumping on Baby John's back, but was only to be replaced in the conversation by Big Deal.

They shared a few jokes, jokes in which Bee tried to incorporate Emil as much as possible, but A-Rab's and Big Deal's faces only turned sour every time she talked to, with or of her brother. Bee sighed, looking at Emil's watch and seeing it was time to start dinner. She didn't even get a glance of Action, but she had thought too early because right as she thought it, he appeared. With a surprise.

'Who is _she_?' Bee asked, looking over the playground and seeing Action walk their way with his arm around a girl's shoulder. A girl that wasn't Clarice. She had light blond hair and vivid green eyes and was even shorter than Action himself and although she looked a bit miffed about something, she was a pretty girl.

'It looks like Astrid's in town.' A-Rab said. 'She's Action's cousin.' He added. 'Or so we think.' Big Deal added to that. Bee frowned, looking away from Action and focussing her attention on Big Deal. 'What do you mean by that?' She asked and Big Deal shrugged, taking a drag from his cigarette. 'All we know is that Action's mum told Action she was his cousin.' He said.

Bee still didn't understand. 'And we have reason to doubt that?' She asked and A-Rab nodded. 'Well, you know, Action's mum..' A-Rab said vaguely and Bee shook her head. That didn't clear up anything for her.

'All we know is that Astrid lives with her dad in the Bronx and once in a while, usually once every few weeks, she comes down to visit her auntie and cousin.' Big Deal stated, shrugging. Bee still didn't understand but they didn't seem eager to elaborate on the subject so Bee let it rest for the moment, focussing back on Astrid.

'She doesn't look anything like Action.' She said and Big Deal shook his head. 'She looks a hell of a lot like his mum though.' He muttered and before Bee could respond to that, Action had come up behind her and introduced him to Astrid.

Astrid seemed to be friendly enough, a lot friendlier than Action was, but she shared something of his uncensored frankness and piercing eyes. 'Being that tall must have its disadvantages.' She said earnestly and Bee frowned at her. 'Though you can probably always reach the top shelf.' She added. 'Yeah, I can mostly.' Bee said sarcastically, but deciding to not get offended by it. The way Astrid said it sounded like Bee was freakishly tall, which she wasn't, she was only a little taller than Action really. Big Deal and A-Rab were snickering in the background though.

With regret Bee said her goodbyes, saying to Emil that dinner wouldn't cook itself. Emil decided to stay and Bee shot him a glare.

She waved at the boys that were not looking at her at all but were all greeting Action's cousin and then turned around and started her walk home. Just as she left the playground she felt a hand on her shoulder. 'Where're you goin'?' Someone asked her and she spun around in surprise. Her face brightened when she saw it was Action. He was interested in her!

'Just going home. I have to get a start on dinner.' She said as nonchalantly as she could manage, the palms of her hands starting to get clammy. He looked over his shoulder at his cousin and friends. 'Would it be okay if I went with you for a bit? Astrid can be a real brat sometimes.' He said and Bee nodded her head hurriedly. 'Yes, sure, I'd love you to!' She said, mentally scolding herself. Wait to look needy.

They walked the short walk to Bee's home in silence, Bee subtly wiping her hands on her skirt and Action kicking pebbles, his hands in his pockets. When they went up the stairs of the apartments, Bee stopped Action as he was about to walk up the last stairs. 'You live up there right?' He asked her, remembering it from when he carried the crate of sodas for her. She nodded while nodding at the her neighbour's door.

The door opened after a few seconds to a tired looking Mrs Moore with in her arms the sleeping Signe. 'She wouldn't have her nap time so she fell asleep when she was playing with her doll.' Mrs Moore said, handing the little girl to Bee. 'I'm sorry if she was any trouble.' Bee said, looking down at her sister. 'It was no problem really.' Mrs Moore said.

Action eyed the toddler in Bee's arms suspiciously. 'Your sister?' He asked and Bee nodded, unlocking the front door of their apartment. Action looked visibly relieved by that. Bee didn't realize what for till he was already gone.

She started peeling potatoes, sitting at the small kitchen table, Action across from her. They were both silent, but neither of them felt uncomfortable in that silence. Bee peeled her potatoes, Action looked at her quick fingers wielding the small knife.

After a while Action got restless and he stood up, pacing through the tiny kitchen, his hands on his back. 'Your cousin seems nice.' Bee said and Action shrugged, not looking away from his feet. 'She's a good kid.' He answered her. It was quiet for another minute before Bee laughed, put down her knife and reached out and took his elbow to hold him still. ' _For Guds skyld_ , how can one boy have so much energy in him?' She asked him with a smile.

Action muttered a rude reply but stopped pacing and hopped onto the kitchen counter, sitting on his hands. Bee stood up, putting the pot underneath the tap, turning it on, and waiting for it to fill. She leaned against the counter next to him. 'You want to stay for dinner?' She asked him suddenly and although his first instinct was to say no, he held back for a minute. Where was he going to eat really? He didn't want to go home to his mum, although Astrid would be there too. 'I couldn't leave Astrid on her own with my Old Lady." He said as apologetic as he could muster.

Bee's smile faltered slightly. 'Well, next time I suppose.' She said. He nodded too. They were saved from an uncomfortable moment at which neither of them knew what to say by the sound of the front door opening and closing. Bee quickly turned away from Action, turning of the tap and putting the pot on the stove.

Bee's mother came in, wearing a slightly ruffled and filthy, light green uniform. She looked tired, her eyes dull and her skin pale, but she had a smile on her face. ' _Hej, min pige_.' She said. Her eyes fell onto Action. 'Oh, hello there!' She said, her accent thick. 'Action, yes?' She asked and Action got down from the kitchen counter. 'Yeah, good evening Mrs Hendriksen.' He said politely, or as politely as he could ever be.

He picked up his jacket from the back of the chair he had been sitting in earlier. 'My cousin is probably wondering where I am.' He said by means of an explanation to Bee. 'Good evening.' He said again to Mrs Hendriksen. 'See you.' He said to Bee. They heard the door bang closed behind him as he ran out of the apartment.

Mrs Hendriksen eyed her daughter meaningfully. 'By the brisk look of that face, he'll be a hard one to catch.' She said jokingly in Danish. Bee flushed bright red immediately. She put down the carrots she had been cutting. 'It's not like that.' She said unconvincingly. Mrs Hendriksen smiled, leaning her face in the palm of her hands as she sunk down to a chair exhaustedly. 'Besides.. He has a girlfriend.' Bee said a bit softer, picking up the carrots again.

She didn't look at her mother, just listened to the deep sigh she breathed out. 'Thank you Beatrice. Thank you for being so brave for us. I know it has been hard moving to America.' She said. Bee glanced up, seeing Mrs Hendriksen wasn't quite smiling anymore. She looked so much older all of the sudden. 'That's alright _mor_ , I'm almost an American girl already!' She answered her mother in Engish, in what was an attempt of a New Yorkese accent in order to lighten the mood. Her mother chuckled.

Bee put on another pot for the veggies. They didn't have the funds for meat in their diets. She had been able to get some butter from Doc's and she was looking forward to showing her family. They could eat it alongside the potatoes.

'Is _far_ going to be home? And Rasmus?' She asked and Mrs Hendriksen's face grew stony. 'I'm not sure, Beatrice, honestly. Your father has been really busy at his new work and these days I'm never certain of where Rasmus is anymore.' She earnestly and Beatrice appreciated her mother's frankness. She didn't feel like a kid anymore.

Emil had come home half an hour later and Mrs Hendriksen went to check on her youngest girl. They had dinner without their father and older brother. Mr Hendriksen came home after Mrs Hendriksen had gone to bed, the poor woman was absolutely drained from her work. Mr Hendriksen looked much the same. 'I'm sorry I couldn't make it to dinner, _min pige_.' He said, squeezing her shoulder. Bee shrugged. 'It's okay _far_. I know you're busy.' She said.

He went to bed not long after and in the end Bee decided it was time for her to go to sleep as well. She crept into the room that was of such a size that it could be described as a glorified broom cupboard, careful not to disturb her sleeping toddler of a sister. She brushed her teeth and hair, got into her pyjamas and settled herself into bed. Sleep didn't come easy. She kept thinking of Action's words earlier. He hadn't really said no to her suggestion that he should come over for dinner. He just wanted to be there for his cousin, which was the gentlemanly thing to do. Bee wouldn't want him to do anything else. She sighed and turned onto her other side.

Maybe if she'd ask again on a different day, maybe then he'd come. But what was she expecting? Like she told her mother, he had a girlfriend. Was she just being friendly or was she going after him. She wasn't sure, never have gone after someone else before. She opened her eyes when she heard the front door close with a bang.

She heard a bit of a clatter in the kitchen and she got up, glancing towards Signe, who was still sound asleep. As she was expecting, it turned out to be Rasmus. ' _Hej_ to you Rasmus.' She said in a whisper and Rasmus, who had been looking in the refrigerator before that, shot upright, banging his head on the top shelf of the fridge. 'Beatrice, knock next time will you!' He said with a laugh.

'Rasmus, why weren't you at dinner?' She asked her eldest brother, ignoring his jolly comments. His face grew a bit more serious and he closed the door of the fridge. 'I'm sorry Bea, I know you asked me yesterday to come but there was something I had to take care of.' He said but Bee wouldn't accept that apology. 'I just want us all to be together.' She said and Rasmus' eyes narrowed. 'Was good old Mr Hendriksen here then?' He asked and Bee shrugged. ' _Far_ is busy.' She defended him. 'He better be. He got us into this mess.' Rasmus muttered.

'Good night, _lillesøster_ , I'll see you tomorrow.' He said after a moment. As he went past her, he ruffled her hair a bit like he used to do when she was smaller. When Bee laid back in bed she started crying and suddenly she felt so sorry for herself. She felt sorry because she liked a boy that didn't like her back, she felt sorry because her family had to move to America and she felt sorry that her family wouldn't really speak to each other like they used to. And she felt sorry that she had to swallow her sobs and rub away her tears just to not wake her little sister that was put in her care.

It took a long while before she fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day in the life of Bee! How was that for a change?


	4. A hostile dinner

It was an unusually hot day so early in spring and the Jets were sitting around on the sidewalk. Action felt cheated by the weather. He was so energetic all of the time that he found it hard to sit still but it was too hot to move.

The school was almost out and the rest of the Jets, those who were still in school, could join them any moment. Riff said they'd start patrols then. He had told Action that he should take them out on morning patrols as well but around 11:30 no one felt like it anymore.

Soon enough the Jets were complete, safe for Baby John who was visiting his grandma in upstate New York, and a little while later Action noticed Bee and her twin brother walking up to them as well. She stayed a safe distance away from any of his gang members but he noticed her glancing in his direction a couple of times. He flexed his fingers trying to come up with a good reason to walk up to her and talk to her but after a moment he cussed at himself and told himself he didn't need any. It wasn't like he wanted to impress her or something.

She looked up in surprise from her book when Action's shadow casted over the pages. 'Oh!' She exclaimed. 'Action, what can I do for you?' She asked politely. 'Nothing.' He said stupidly. He leaned against the bar next to her. 'You invited me for dinner last week right?' He asked her and he saw her eyes widen a bit. She probably hadn't expected him to ask about it again and he hadn't really planned on it either but he had gotten into a fight with his mother again and he didn't want to rely on his friends all the time. He told them not to worry but he knew they did anyway.

He didn't say anything more but just looked at the bar counter stubbornly, tracing the lines of the wood with his thumb. 'You want to come over for dinner tonight?' Bee asked after a few seconds. He hesitated a moment. 'If that's alright.' He answered then. 'That's perfectly alright!' She said and he looked up at the enthusiasm in her voice. She had a bright smile on her face. 'I'll go prepare dinner right away! Just follow Emil home, he'll know when to come home for dinner.' She said and before he could protest or comment she had jumped up and run out of Doc's.

Action saw Bee's twin stand upright from his place next to the door a couple of hours later. He said goodbye to Snowboy and Gee-Tar, who sat closest to him, but they didn't even look up and he left through the front door. Action waited a couple of seconds but then murmured a quick goodbye to his fellow Jets and they all said goodbye to their lieutenant. 'Where're you going?' A-Rab asked but Action pushed him aside as he walked past. 'I don't need to tell you anything.' He grumbled moodily.

He quickly caught up to Emil, Bee's twin brother. He looked startled as Action matched his pace. 'Your sister invited me for dinner.' Action told him reluctantly and Emil frowned. 'She did?' He asked and Action glared at him. 'You calling me a liar, buddy?' Action asked testily and Emil immediately shook his head. 'I'm just surprised, that's all.' He mumbled.

Emil didn't seem to be at peace with it though. Right outside of the apartment he stopped and looked at Action. Action narrowed his eyes at him. 'Aren't you going to open the door kid?' He asked and Emil nodded. 'Yeah, I will, I first just want to tell you to stay the hell away from my sister.' He said and the threat came so unexpected to Action that he started laughing. 'I have no idea what you're talking about.' He denied the boy in front of him and he turned away but Emil grabbed at his shoulder. That was it for Action. He wasn't about to let some punk order him around.

He moved out of the way of Emil's hand and pushed him to the sidewalk, putting his right knee to his chest and gathering up his collar in his fist. 'You better be real careful now.' Action told him in an angry voice. Emil seemed to be offended more than scared and after a moment Action stood back up and after Emil had gotten up as well he said in a low voice: 'Nothing is going on with me and your sister.' Emil pressed his lips together. 'There better not be.' He muttered as he stepped past Action to unlock the front door but Action decided to let it slide.

The two boys walked up to the top floor in silence and Action was already regretting his decision of coming over but as he glared at the back of Bee's twin as they walked up the stairs, he hardened his face: he wasn't going to let himself be pushed around by anyone, let alone a shrimp like him.

When they walked in, Emil kicked off his shoes and threw his coat at the coat rack before barging out the hallway into the kitchen. Action looked at the shoes that were neatly lined up to the wall (and Emil's thrown on top) and hesitantly decided to take off his own shoes as well. He hung his jacket on the rack and then walked into the kitchen as well.

Bee was leaning over a big pot of what seemed to be soup, stirring the contents as she added salt. Emil was talking to her in rapid Danish and he was obviously annoyed. Bee seemed to stay calm under his scrutiny, talking back in her usual cool and collected tone of speaking. When Action walked in she looked over her shoulder, a smile on her face. 'Hi Action, soup's almost ready.' She said and Action sniffed his nose. It smelled nice so he told her. She blushed.

It stayed awkwardly quiet after, not because Action and Bee didn't know what to talk about but because Emil was standing in the corner of the kitchen, overseeing the spectacle with narrowed eyes. Action decided that the scrawny looking kid had more zest to him than he and the other Jets had originally thought. Not that it changed anything but still.

When they started dinner their parents hadn't come home yet. They shared some polite conversation and it was getting increasingly frustrating and Action saw that Bee was about to open her mouth with a determined look on her face when in the other room her little sister started crying. She sighed, put down her spoon and stood up. 'I'll be back in a moment.' She said. When she left Action and Emil glared at each other. 'What do you want?' Emil eventually asked.

'I don't want nothing.' Action told him but Emil didn't look convinced. 'You already have a girlfriend, so what are you hanging around with my sister for.' Emil hissed, looking angry. Action didn't like the feeling of being accused and shot out of his chair, leaning the palms of his hand flat on the table. 'I don't have to explain myself to a fream like you.' He said menacingly and he was surprised by how unimpressed Emil looked. Action was used to people shrinking down a couple of sizes whenever he focussed his anger on them.

Action didn't want to look at his face any longer so he huffed and stalked off to the door Bee disappeared into. He found her in a tiny little room that somehow sported a dresser and a bed and a crib pushed against the wall. There barely was room to stand in. Bee looked up when he came in, softly rocking her baby sister. 'She's almost back to sleep.' She said. Her eyes shifted over the room nervously and Action realized that this must be _her_ bedroom. He felt himself get a bit hot around the collar as well.

'The soup was good.' Action said and Bee smiled. 'That was what I was going for.' She said and Action snickered despite himself. Their conversation felt more relaxed without the supervising of her twin brother. 'Why are you guys called the Jets?' Bee asked and Action shrugged. 'Tony and Riff came up with it. Having jets means being smart, or having brains, you get it?'

She nodded as she gently put the toddler in the crib, tucking the blanket around her. She straightened her back and looked back at Action. 'You want to go for a walk?' She asked and he eagerly agreed. Anything to get away from that pit bull twin of hers. As they walked through the kitchen, Emil jumped up from his seat, rattling off a speech in Danish. Bee rolled her eyes and said something back. Emil didn't seem to be happy but before he could reply, she interjected in English. 'Emil, just do the dishes. I always have to do everything myself already.'

In the hallway the two quickly shot into their shoes, sitting on the narrow wooden bench. They were pressed together and Action could feel the smooth skin of her shoulders rub against his arms as she moved her hands around to tie her shoe laces and it gave him inexplicable goose bumps. When they stood up, he hastily put on his jacket.

They strolled down the sidewalk in silence, but Action was glad that she didn't chatter his ears off. Clarice was always talking away, whether it was about her friends, her teachers, some party or dance or about her feelings. And her favourite subject; their relationship. Action never was a great talker so although he could suffer through the other benign conversation points, every time she brought up their relationship and everything it involved he was suddenly forced to participate. And she never was quite happy with his input on the matter.

'I'm a bit tired.' Bee admitted after a couple of blocks. Action chuckled. 'You must have had a hard day.' He told her. 'We all know how much of an exertion school is, right?' He added cheekily and she elbowed him. He took her assault with a grin. 'There's a good spot close by. We can sit there.' Action told her and after a few minutes they did arrive at a sort of courtyard, ducking through an alleyway to get there. There was a wooden fence in the way but Action climbed over and opened the door from the inside.

The courtyard seemed to be intended for a communal garden, although only a corner was actually used for it, a couple of tomato plants shrivelling up in the dry earth. Concrete covered the rest of the ground, although violets and grass sprouts fought their way up through cracks in the cement. The fenestration of the surrounding building made it look boxy and impersonal, however the red brick and the washing hanging on long lines from one end of the courtyard to another made up for the small square windows.

'You can sit fairly comfortable behind the plants.' Action said, taking the lead and sitting on the dirt, leaning his back against the brick wall and stretching his legs out in front of him. 'I can't sit there!' She exclaimed and he looked up at her, squinting his eyes against the sun, to see her standing in between the green and red of the tomato plants. Her caramel coloured hair glinted in the golden light. It was pinned up in loose curls but he saw that little strands had come detached from her do and were tickling her neck. 'Why the hell not!?' He replied indignantly.

'I'll never get the stains out of this dress.' She explained and he huffed but nonetheless shrugged off his baseball jacket and put it on the ground next to him, patting it patronizingly. 'There you go princess.' He said and she shot him a glare. 'Easy for you to say, you look good wearing filthy clothes.' She said jokingly but his mind got stuck on only one particular part of that sentence. " _You look good_ " she said. She thought he looked good.

Action looked at his beat up tennis shoes, digging his heels into the parched earth. 'How are you liking New York?' Action asked after a couple of moments. Way to go, he thought to himself, how many people must have asked her that already. She seemed to be giving it significant thought though. 'Better and better every day.' She ended up saying and he felt his heart speed up. He didn't say anything back.

Bee seemed to feel uncomfortable as well but after a few minutes she took a deep breath and started telling him about what they had learned about the Ancient Egyptians in class that day. And although he didn't really care about these pharaohs and pyramids she kept going on about, he just listened to the soft lull of her accent, the cool quality of her voice and the passion with which she spoke.

He dropped her off at her apartment a couple of hours later and went back to Doc's. 'Action, buddy-boy, where'd you disappear to?' Riff called out as he came in and all heads looked around, greeting him as he walked past. It was already late, nearly dark outside. He pulled up a chair and took a seat at the table, across from his gang leader. The aforementioned leaned forward, crossing his arms. 'Clarice came here looking for you.' He said. 'Good to know.' He said gruffly.

The boys left him alone for a bit because Action appeared to be in a pensive mood, which he wasn't often. But his interest was immediately peaked when Riff and Ice started talking about the new gang in town. 'The Sharks are getting more and more ballsy.' Riff said loudly. 'So many PR's arrived in New York lately that they'll have as many recruits as they want.' Ice grumbled. 'We have to act soon.' Riff agreed. 'Before their gang becomes too big.'

Not everyone at Doc's heard the conversation yet but they did when Action hit his fist onto the table. 'Then let's quit bench racing and wipe 'm out!' He called out. Everyone looked up from what they were doing and tuned into the table in the corner, where their leaders were sitting. 'I'm going to talk to Tony about it.' Riff said but Action growled at that. 'Where _is_ Tony?' He asked, letting himself lean back in his chair again. Riff glanced at him in annoyance but took no further notice.

The next day Tony did show up. Riff must have had a talk with him indeed. Riff lived with Tony's family on account of his own family being a shit family. Sometimes Action would wonder if any of the Jets would let him live with them if he asked but he'd quickly shake his head. Of course they would, they all would (their parents were a different story). It was just that he was too proud to let anyone know the full extent of his practical homelessness. Technically he could stay with his mother, but he'd rather live under a bridge than stay with her for any extensive period of time. Instead he stayed singular nights at his friends' houses, at Doc's, anywhere with a roof. Sometimes he'd take the subway up to the Bronx to stay with his cousin Astrid and her dad, but he tried to avoid that if he could. Not only was it a fairly lengthy trip to make just for a sleeping place, but he also had to leave his turf and go through the turf of many other gangs. And when he finally got there, he was on the territory of the Fordham Baldies, a large gang (much larger than the Jets), that also ruled the high school that Astrid went too. He didn't want to make trouble for her if he couldn't be there to protect her afterwards.

It had gone wrong once before, when he had gone into a little lunch room called "Jennie's Luncheonette" to get his cousin a sandwich when she was younger. It was then that he found out that the elder members of the gang, dubbed the Fordham Daggers, held house there and at least twenty five of them were present when he came in. He was let off with a warning, very luckily so, and could leave the Bronx alive that night with just a black eye. He wasn't allowed to buy the sanwich for Astrid and the money he would've paid with was taken as well. The thing he was happy with the most though was that he had made Astrid wait outside so he could get the sandwich as a surprise. He didn't want the boys with the white jackets and the gold letters on the back to know that this girl was the cousin of a gangster in another gang.

When Tony showed up at Doc's that day everyone was ecstatic. Tony was top dog in the gang, one of the best fighters, up there with Ice and Action, and incredibly charismatic. You couldn't help but like him. However, when he came in and everyone clapped him on the back and greeted him enthusiastically, Action stayed back, leaning his back against the wall and waiting it out. Action was loyal, very loyal, but he expected that absolute loyalty to be returned. Tony hadn't shown up much at all recently and when he did he didn't really do anything of consequence. Action hadn't seen him punch anyone for months.

After the excitement of seeing one of their gang leaders in the flesh once again had died down a bit, Tony looked around Doc's and his eyes landed on the moody lieutenant. He came to stand next to him, bumping the smaller boy in the shoulder with his own. 'Action, what's up?' He asked, a good natured smile on his face. 'Nothing.' Action mumbled. Tony chuckled. 'There's a whole of that nothing on your face.' He commented on Action's grouchy facial expression. If possible, he became grouchier. 'Come on Action, you're the lieutenant, it's a great day for the Jets!' Tony exclaimed. 'What happens today?' Asked Baby John who was standing close by.

Tony turned partially away from Action and addressed everyone who listened, which was everyone. 'Riff and I talked it through yesterday evening and we're going to really send those Puerto Ricans a message.' He said. Animated murmurs went through the candy store. Riff took over, being the bigger talker. 'We're going to jump every bleeding Spic that even looks at the borders of our territory. We're going to block them access to the playground, the garage, Doc's and the high school. We'll make them look over their shoulders wherever they go. We'll be merciless.' Riff said in his commanding tone and everyone cheered.

Action's heart started thumping faster in anticipation and a smile broke onto his face. Tony saw. 'That's what I'm talking about!' He said, putting an arm around his neck fondly. Action didn't mind. They were going to properly take control. Finally!

'We're going to start tomorrow morning immediately. We have to nib these Sharks in the bud.' Tony interjected and Riff nodded in agreement. 'We're going to have to split up to cover everything, divide and conquer and all that.' Riff elaborated. 'We want Ice by the playground, I'll stay here at Doc's and Action, we want you to defend the high school.' Riff ordered and Action stomped his fist in his open hand, a big mean grin on his face. 'We'll separate the rest of the gang among these groups.' Riff finished grandly. 'What about the garage?' Asked Gee-Tar and Riff pointed his finger at him with a smile. 'Good question!' He commended. 'The garage usually isn't busy in the morning so we're going to leave that as it is. In the afternoon Action will take a couple of the crew there.' Riff answered.

Later that evening everyone left Doc's with a clear plan on what the next day was going to entail. In the end it was only Riff, Tony and Action who were still sitting at the counter. They were talking, reminiscing the fights they had been in together. For now Action's recent scepticism towards the Jets co-founder were forgotten. Tony was his brother, like any of the others.

Doc was silently scrubbing off the glasses and after a while Tony got up from his barstool and ducked behind the bar to help him out. 'Here, let me Doc.' He said, taking the rag from him. 'You look exhausted, go get some sleep.'

Doc tried to refuse, saying that he had to stay to lock up, but Tony insisted and told him that if he gave Tony the key that he would lock up and put the key through the mail slot. Doc relented and now it was just the three boys. The last remaining members of the original Jets. 'Action, tomorrow morning when we decide the different line-ups, I want you to take at least three strong fighters with you; it's going to be the toughest at the school because they need to get in for their classes.' He told his lieutenant.

Action nodded understandingly, lighting a cigarette. 'Can I get one off you?' Riff asked and Action took out the nearly empty pack which he had taken from a Shark just a couple of days ago on a routine patrol with his buddies. There were two left and Riff took one. Luckily Tony didn't want one. Action threw away the pack and put the last cig in his breast pocket.

Riff took a long drag from the cigarette and savoured it in his lungs for a moment before he blew it out with a sigh. 'I'm putting you by the high school for a reason, Action. No one can get past, otherwise our stance is pointless. You can fight hard and you won't get scared and back down but most importantly, the others won't get scared either when they know _you_ got their back.' Riff said to him and Action felt oddly flattered.

'Ice being on the playground and me being at Doc's, we'll be close by each other so we can back each other up when we need to, but you'll be more far out and we won't be able to easily come if you need help.' Riff rattled off.

'On a different subject, A-Rab and Snowboy can't be on the same troupe; I want none of them joking around or getting distracted. This is important.' He continued and Action once again nodded, leaning forward on the counter, looking at Tony's quick and steady hands as they dried off every glass one by one. Tony was a strange one to offer to do chores like this one his own.

'Everything will run smoothly tomorrow, daddy-o.' Action told Riff.

Soon Tony was done and it was time to leave. It was a shame that Doc had gone upstairs to sleep already because Action had half-planned to stay there that night but now he couldn't without alerting his friends to the situation. Maybe he'd have to stay at his mother's, just for this one night. He didn't know yet and he figured he still had a couple of hours before he definitely had to make his mind up.

'I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early.' Riff said cheerfully, clapping him on the back. Tony and Riff went one way and Action another. Despite having no prospect to where he would be sleeping that night, Action was in a good mood. The next morning would be the start of their retaliation. Too long they had let the newcomers get away with things they shouldn't get away with and it was done.

Riff would be at their home base, Doc's. Ice would hold down the playground and Action would block the school; no Puerto Rican was coming through his fists. All major players of the gang would lead their squads to defend the territory they owned. Then Action realized; where was Tony going to be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Fordham Baldies actually were a big Bronx gang back in those days. I read crazy stories about how the high school that they went to was practically a war zone. Poor kids who weren't in the gang...


	5. The defence of the school

Everyone was standing outside of Doc's. The sun hadn't fully come up yet so it was still a bit dark as the boys all looked up to see Riff standing at the top of the little stairs to Doc's front door. Ice and Action both stood at the front, facing the gang together with Riff.

'Mouthpiece, Big Deal, Joyboy and Tiger; you're with Action at the high school.' He called out over the gang. The mentioned boys nodded seriously, although a grin was trying to slip onto their face. 'Snowboy, Diesel; you're with Ice.' He continued and once again there were no cheers but only subdued nods and hidden smiles.

'I want the rest, which is A-Rab, Baby John and Gee-Tar I believe, here at Doc's with me. Did I forget anybody?' He asked aloud but no one answered and he seemed to think that that was answer enough. 'Give 'm hell, fellas.' He said with a big smile. And suddenly the whole gang broke out in shouts and cheers. Nobody could hold back their excitement anymore as they clapped each other on the backs and shook each other's hands.

It was no time before Action was sitting on the front steps of the high school, Mouthpiece sitting a step down from him and the rest of them standing on the sidewalk or leaning against the handrail. A couple of teachers had gone past them already but they kept their heads down. It was none of their business.

It wasn't long before students started arriving though. Most of them could go through no problem, although they had to nervously step in between the Jets. They all had menacing looks on their faces, their skin was tanned from being out in the sun all day and they had scars on their knuckles from all kinds of different fights. Most of them had their jackets on, but even when you couldn't see their muscled arms, you could still tell they were big, broad shouldered guys. All the students quickened their pace.

Their first test came fifteen minutes before classes started. Two Puerto Rican boys of roughly fifteen years old came walking up to the front steps. They weren't paying attention, talking and laughing with each other, carrying textbooks in their arms. It was when they wanted to step onto the stairs that Big Deal stepped away from the handrail and stood in front of them, blocking their path. They looked up surprised, not previously noticing much at all. Their surprised faces turned to apprehension when they saw the group of Jets before them.

'We just wanted to get to class.' One of the two Puerto Ricans said but Action spoke up from his seat on the stairs, lazily leaning his elbows back on the stone steps behind him. 'Keep moving, José.' He scoffed and his companions snickered. The two boys gave each other a glance but then ran back the way they came. 'And so it begins.' Tiger muttered. They were ready.

Many students passed them and many were blocked from entering but they didn't meet much resistance until a guy that Action knew for sure was with the Sharks came together with his younger sister. 'School's closed today, kids!' Joyboy said mockingly and the Shark was frowning at the rival gangsters. 'We need to go to class.' The boy said with a heavy accent. 'You need to get going.' Action replied, not getting up but sitting upright. For a moment it looked like he was going to protest but his younger sister slipped her hand into his and he looked down at her before stepping back. ' _¡Fíjate, Paola! Esta es America_.' He said to the girl before dragging her off down the street again.

The closer it got to the moment classes started, the more people Action and his buddies needed to stop. Some were very persistent and needed to be shoved around a bit before they dripped off again but it was noteworthy that no other Sharks came after the first one, as if he had warned the others about their welcome committee. And maybe they were gathering together.

A couple of minutes before class Graziella, Clarice, Velma, Wilma and Minnie strolled around the corner, closely followed by three other Jets girls called Debby, Hotsie and Pauline. Hotsie immediately ran forward when she saw her boyfriend, swinging her arms around Tiger's neck. 'Action!' Clarice called out happily and Action stood up to greet her, although he kept the kiss short. 'We're busy, we can't talk right now.' He told her. She pouted. 'I came to look for you at Doc's yesterday.' She said. 'I'll see you later.' He promised her and she smiled at him, her freckles crinkling at her nose, quickly pecking him on the lips before following her friends inside. 'Come on, buddy-boy.' Action said, kicking his friend against the back of his leg. Tiger reluctantly pushed against his girlfriend's shoulders. 'Jets stuff, baby.' He explained to her.

They heard the bell ring inside and all of a sudden the street was almost worryingly empty, especially in contrast with the busy drum of teenagers right before. It was empty except for two figures running their way. 'Hey it's Bee!' Joyboy said. He was right. Bee and Emil were running their way, both carrying a school bag. The twins must've been late. Bee came to a halt in front of them. 'What's all this about?' She asked, holding her side, obviously tired from running. The exertion suited her, Action decided. She was blushing prettily, her breath was short, her chest rising and falling in a quick tempo, and her eyes were bright with the exercise. 'We're doing one over on the PR's.' Big Deal answered her. 'Don't you think it's a bit early for that kind of thing?' She retorted drily and Action saw that the boys were all eager to converse, but he saw movement at the corner and he sprung up. 'You two go to class, yeah?' He said abruptly and he saw Bee's mouth open but he pointed to the school and simply hissed his demand; 'Now!'. After a moment she grabbed her brother's thin arm and together they bolted up.

Action's eyes followed them only to see if they really went in but when they did he focussed his eyes back to the corner of the street where he saw a group of six guys come their way. One more than they. 'Should I go for help?' Asked Joyboy, who was the fastest runner but Action shook his head. 'No. Look mean.' He commanded, standing upright and stepping forward, out from the group. Running for help would make them look weak.

The six Sharks looked as confident as they did but Action recognized not all of them were necessarily strong fighters. But that didn't mean they wouldn't try to fight them anyway. He saw that one of the boys was the one they had refused to let in earlier. 'We heard you _gringos_ been causing trouble.' The one in front said. Action knew he wasn't the captain of the gang; he had seen that boy, Bernardo, around before (punched him in the face before too), but this boy was tall with a low forehead and slightly crossed eyes. Maybe he was lieutenant like Action. He was certainly not as experienced as Action though, Action thought, because he seemed taken aback by his retort. 'And what are you gonna do about it?' Action answered him threateningly, cracking his knuckles.

Although the Shark's stance didn't change, Action saw his eyes move sideways to where he knew his friends were. 'We're in the majority.' He informed the short, stocky boy in front of him but Action's expression didn't change. 'Give me an excuse.' He said, rolling his shoulders. For a moment both parties were silent but then the guy who seemed to be the leader of the six Sharks spoke up again. 'Listen, there are many people who just want to go to school. Who have no business with you or us.' He said. Action said nothing. 'Just boys and girls who want to go to class. I am not looking to cause any more trial–' the boy continued, rolling his r's '–I just want those boys and girls in class.'

Action stepped forward once again, so he was toe to toe with him. The other boy was much taller than Action but Action didn't feel intimidated in the least which seemed to throw the other boy off. 'I don't _care_ what you want.' He simply spat.

Tensions were strung high between the two gangs. Electricity was sizzling in the air and everyone there knew that the wrong word could result in immediate violence. The leader of the six Sharks certainly seemed to know it because he seemed hesitant to answer the challenge Action put forward. 'You think you can win with one man down?' He asked and behind Action his Jets laughed. Action smirked, baring his teeth mockingly. 'I'd crush you all by myself.' He said.

All boys whipped their heads around when a patrol car came speeding down the street and came to a screeching halt in front of the school. Two police officers jumped out, one of them being Krupke swinging his club around. 'What are you punks loitering on the sidewalk for!' He shouted. 'You sure came quick for a case of loitering.' Mouthpiece piped up. Krupke moved forward, pushing Action and the other boy away from each other in a hard handed manner. 'Why don't you damned JD's clear outta here!' He said, pointing away from them.

'Officer Krupke, we were just trying to soak up some of that learning environment!' Joyboy joked and a snicker went through all of the youngsters. 'Stop wasting my time along with yours.' The police officer replied, grabbing one of the Sharks by the collar of his shirt and pushing him away. 'I want all of youse out of here, quick!'

Action looked back at the leader of the Shark troupe once again, a hard stare that would chill the blood of many but then nodded at him. They'd settle this later. The Shark understood the message and the tiniest of nods was seen in return before he snapped his fingers and he and his buddies walked off. Action faced the two officers again. The other one had already sat back into the driver's seat of the patrol car. Action reached into his pocket for his cigarettes but realized that he had no left. That morning he had smoked his last one.

He sat down on the bottom step of the stairs feeling agitated, stretching his fingers and then curling them back into fists. He had been itching for a fight. 'How is it that we always find you right in the centre when crap is going down?' Krupke asked Action. 'I guess I have a complex.' Action answered gruffly. Krupke waved his hand at him in frustration, turning around and getting back in the car. 'Who called them, you think?' Asked Tiger aloud as they watched them drive off.

'Neighbours probably. Or the school.' Answered Big Deal. 'It don't matter.' Action answered. 'We'll hang around here till after lunch and then head over to the garage.' He added. The boys didn't question him. 'And someone, get me a cigarette!' Action demanded, irritation clearly read on his face. His friends understood his frustrations and didn't protest. Tiger wordlessly offered him his pack. Action took out two, putting one between his lips and the other in his breast pocket. Joyboy got him a match. He was rarely vocal about it but Action deeply appreciated his fellow Jets.

That evening they met back up with the rest of the Jets and it turned out that Action and his squad weren't the only ones to run into trouble. A group of Sharks had tried to get onto the playground and Riff and the Jets that stuck with him had to join Ice, Snowboy and Diesel to keep 'm from getting pummelled.

'We kept them from getting into the high school.' Mouthpiece said and Riff, nursing a busted lip, clapped him on the shoulder. 'Good job, buddy-boys!' He complimented his ranks. Action sat at the counter at Doc's. There was still so much energy bouncing around in him. He enviously looked at Ice's blue knuckles. He wished he'd been able to get into the thick of it.

'I'm gonna jolt.' Action said gruffly. People were absorbed by their conversations mostly but the people who sat closest to him made sure to say bye before he smashed the door closed behind him. He felt so frustrated. He'd gotten so close to beating that Shark to pulp that morning but he was once again prevented. He hadn't had a proper equal fight in weeks, not counting the kids they jumped while patrolling the streets, and it was doing him in. He kicked against a pebble with a growl.

'That rock done you wrong, buddy-boy?' Asked a voice behind him and Action spun around, his fists up, to see that Riff had followed him from Doc's. Action lowered his arms again. 'You'll get your fill, Action.' Riff assured him, squeezing his shoulder. 'We had a group of six at the school. We were ready to thump 'm.' Action said. 'When we got to the garage later we waited around. I saw a group at the end of the alley but they backed off when they saw us.' He continued. Riff laughed. 'It sounds like you're complaining that you've got a rep!' He called out.

Action couldn't help but crack a tiny smile at the cheerful deposition of his friend. 'If I'm correct, there'll be a lot more fights in the future and I know you'll be at the front at all of them.' Riff told him and that made Action feel a little better. 'I'm going back to Doc's, you coming?' Asked Riff but Action shook his head. 'Nah, I'm going to go see Clarice. I'll see you in the morning.' He replied and Riff clapped him on the back. 'Good on you! Get rid of that energy!' He said with a wink.

They exchanged words of goodbye and went their separate ways. Clarice was happy to let him in when he knocked on her window. 'I feel like I haven't seen you in ages..!' She said as he pushed her down to her bed. Action hummed as he kissed her up and down her neck. 'We didn't spend any time together at all yesterday, I missed you.' She said as she pressed hot, open mouthed kissed all over his face before reaching his mouth. 'Where were you anyway? The boys didn't know.' She added and Action, caught in the feverish frenzy of kissing his girlfriend, didn't think over his answer for a mere two seconds (although he never was much the thinker).

'I had dinner at that dame Bee's house.' He murmured against her skin. He didn't anticipate the force with which her hands pushed at his chest. 'You _what_!?' She asked incredulously. 'I had dinner, what are you getting at!?' He shot back and he leaned back down to once again kiss her but she pushed at him again and sat upright. 'I was out there looking for you and missing you and you were out there with some other broad!?' She asked him shrilly and he frowned at her, not pleased at the insinuations she put forward.

'What are you trying to say, Clarice?' He shouted back at her. 'Clarice, are you alright!?' Her mother's voice called from the sitting room. 'Yeah, I'm fine!' Clarice called back. 'Quiet, they can't hear you!' She hissed at Action. But Action was livid and it took him all his effort not to burst out. 'You think I ain't being true with you?' He asked her bitingly. 'I didn't say that.' She backtracked, taking in his earnest face. 'Go fly a kite already, Rizz.' He said, putting his jacket back on and shooting out the window and down the fire escape.

He ran down the street and kept running until he was out of breath and had to stop to lean his hands on his knees. When his breathing had calmed again he righted his back and found that his mood hadn't bettered. 'Clarice is way off.' He muttered angrily, as he started walking again. He wanted to see Bee, he realized. Tell her that Clarice had been unfair. However, as he stood outside her building he looked up. He didn't know which window was hers although it must've been one of the top ones. He imagined her sitting down in the little kitchen, together with her brother, maybe her parents too. What was he going to say to Bee?

Bee had nothing to do with this, it was his own fault for asking to stay for dinner and even though Clarice hadn't been right, he shouldn't have sprung something like that on her while they were making out on her bed. 'You're not waiting for me, are you?' A smooth voice asked him and he looked up to see Bee standing there. His heartbeat quickened.

Bee had the same dress on as that morning, a pale yellow thing with a full skirt but now she had a spring topper over it, presumably to combat the evening chill, the sleeves wide but folded up to halfway up her forearms. The powder blue of the topcoat made her dark blue eyes appear lighter and more carefree. She had a stack of books in her arms.

'This is a public street, I can stand here all I want.' He said defensively. Bee had gotten used to his moodiness and didn't mind it. She smiled, switching the books to her other arm. 'You want to come up?' She asked. He hesitated a moment. 'No, I'm good.' He answered finally. She frowned a little. 'You want to do something else?' She asked. 'We could go for a walk again?'

Action was feeling conflicted. On the one hand he'd enjoy going on a walk with the pretty girl before him but on the other hand Clarice's words ran through his head. Then his face hardened. Clarice had no business telling him what he could or couldn't do. 'Yeah, let's go.' He said rebelliously and she grinned happily back at him. He kept staring at her face a second too long before he shook his head and got his head out of the clouds.

'Where'd you come from?' Action asked, eyeing the books in her arms. 'The public library.' She answered, opening the front door of her building to put the short stack of books on the stairs so she wouldn't have to lug 'm around. He blinked. 'Library?' He asked in surprise. 'Yeah, the one up on Amsterdam Avenue. St Agnes Library.' She told him, closing the door again. He had lived in the neighbourhood all his life and he didn't think he'd ever been in the library before. 'What were you and the Jets doing at school this morning?' Bee changed the subject.

'We're striking back on the Sharks. They've been intruding on our turf more and more lately so we got to show 'm where they belong.' Action answered her, his hands in his pocket. 'Wait, you were there to stop them from going in?' She asked, stopping in her track. He stopped too, turning his body to look back at her. 'Well, yeah.' He said, confused by her reaction. 'Were you the reason why every single Puerto Rican kid in my class today skipped school?' She questioned. 'I guess so.' He replied.

For a moment she stared at him incredulously. 'You guys are out of your damned mind!' She snapped and at first Action was taken aback by her vigour. He didn't think he had ever hurt her swear before. Then her words registered. 'You can't talk to me like that!' He hollered back at her but she wasn't to be deterred.

'They have nothing to do with your childish stand-off! They need to go to school if they want to get anywhere!' Bee cried out. He stepped closer, prodding his finger at her. 'You listen here, you ain't from here, you don't know how things are done.' He told her but she pushed his finger away. 'If this is how things are done, they need to change!' She bellowed.

'What are you always hanging around the Jets for anyway!' Action shouted. 'If you're so against us and all.' He added. 'I don't know!' Bee shouted back, stomping her foot. 'I suppose I must be a complete fool!' She yelled. 'Because I just keep hoping to run into you.' She finished. Action stared at her dumbfounded. 'You..!? What!?' He yelled back, surprise sucking the anger out of his voice.

She didn't say anything at first but he saw her eyes shift around the street. 'I'm sorry, please forget what I said.' She murmured to him.

He ignored her words. 'What do you mean?' He demanded, leaning in slightly. 'I don't think I should say anymore..-' she began but he stepped forward, grabbing her wrist. 'Bee, _what_ do you mean?' He asked once again, although softer this time. 'I don't know Action, I just know that I think you're pretty great.' She admitted reluctantly.

They looked at each other for a bit, Action still holding her wrist, and he saw that her temporarily broken walls were building up behind her eyes again. Her breathing was slowing and her furrowed eyebrows relaxed. She was always so calculated in her wording and her behaviour and it was unsettling to have seen her so discomposed. He suddenly recalled Clarice's words earlier and he let go off her wrist, putting both his hands in his jacket pockets.

'Were you waiting for me, outside of my apartment?' Bee asked him again, repeating her question from earlier, and he shrugged, kicking a pebble across the sidewalk. 'Just came to see how you're doing.' He replied vaguely. 'I'm doing alright.' She answered him, a small smile finding a way onto her face. Action felt his heart flutter in a way that had become strangely familiar in the past months. And like everything else he couldn't control or understand, it made him angry.

Feeling agitated he pulled out the cigarette from his breast pocket and stuck it between his lips and he let it dangle there as he searched for a matchbook. He didn't have any. He exhaled, running his hand through his hair. He wasn't used to being in a situation that he couldn't fight his way out of. 'Maybe it's best if I go home.' Bee suggested. Action nodded. 'Yeah, maybe.' He agreed, the cigarette still jiggling up and down. He put it back in his breast pocket.

He walked her back to her front door silently and she didn't attempt any conversation either. He hadn't looked her in the eye since he had seen her smile but as she opened up the door he did. She looked miserable and her cheeks were red in embarrassment. 'I'm sorry.' She once again said. 'I didn't mean to tell you.. To do anything about my..' She didn't finish her sentences. She just bit her lip, making Action's eyes trail back down to her soft mouth. Those gentle, purposeful lips, pink and plump.

He shook his head. He murmured a quick goodbye but then turned on his heels and speed walked down the street in the direction of Doc's. He wasn't really in the mood to hear his friends' quips and jokes again after all that but he didn't really knew where else to go. Besides, it might be good for him. On the way he came by the dress shop the block over though and he saw that the girls had all gathered there.

Velma waved him over. 'Action!' She called out and he contemplated walking on but Graziella started waving as well and the whole group cackled so he crossed the street to see what they wanted. He felt already annoyed by the gossipy girls.

'Have you seen Clarice? We haven't seen her since school today.' Velma asked him when he was close enough to hear. 'She's at home.' He answered gruffly. All the girls ooh-ed. 'Did you two argue?' Asked Hotsie and he shot her a glare (one she didn't seem to even notice). 'That's none of your damn business.' he told her but the girls paid him no mind. 'I bet it's about that European chick.' Wilma commented and Graziella fell in with her friend. 'Definitely, poor Clarice has been worrying about it for ages already.' She said. Action had heard enough.

'What are you gals hanging around out here for? Don't you know it ain't safe for a bunch of girls right now?' He questioned but it was an almost amusing sight to see them all roll their eyes in synchronization. 'Don't break your head about it, we were just waiting for Clarice on our way to Doc's.' Velma said, petting his hair. He pushed her hand away, irritation clear on his face.

'So she's not coming? Only because you boys are for some reason _obsessed_ with this dumb foreign girl.' Debby piped up from the back where she was standing with Minnie. 'Who are you calling dumb!?' Action yelled back at her. Wilma shushed him soothingly. 'We're just looking out for our girlfriend.' She said and Action huffed. 'What is Rizz worrying for. I only had dinner with the broad, that don't mean anything.' He argued.

'Don't be so brainless, Action.' Velma said accusingly and Action didn't how to respond without it evolving into a fistfight so he just said; 'What!?'. 'You think you can just go out with another girl and it'd be okay with Clarice?' Asked Minnie and Action shook his head. 'Rizz knows it wasn't like that.' He argued but the clique of girls circling him giggled at his naïve answer. 'Action, sweetheart, anyone with eyes can tell that there's something more going on between you and that foreign girl.' Graziella chipped in and before Action could deny it, Wilma had already interjected. 'And even if it all was completely innocent, you think it feels good for her to see her boyfriend go off with this gorgeous Sandra Dee-looking girl?' She asked. 'No, Sandra Dee is too ordinary. Grace Kelly! Classier!' Pauline corrected and the group let out a murmur of agreement.

'You're all a bunch of mad cows.' Action concluded and offence was read on all their faces. Graziella shot him a foul look. He left them standing there before they could say anymore and he resumed his walk although it wasn't in the direction of Doc's anymore. He walked back in the direction of which he came from. If those hags were going to be there, thought Action, he was going to stay far away. The girls didn't shout after him to ask him where he was going; they knew when to give Action space. And right now he really did need that space.

He kept walking until he came to the fence that hid the little courtyard that he had frequented with Bee the previous day. He hopped over and stalked over to his little patch of earth between the tomato plants and it wasn't until he was right in front of her and she looked up from her book, that he realized that he wasn't alone like he was hoping to be.

'Oh.' He muttered, turning around again so he could leave, but Bee scrambled halfway up, sitting upright on her knees, to grab his hand. He felt electricity shoot up his arm. 'Why don't you sit with me!' She exclaimed. 'I have to go..-' he began to say but she pulled his hand preciously and all thoughts of Clarice fell from his head. 'I'm just reading, we don't even have to talk.' She told him and although he knew better, he couldn't find the words or will to deny her and he went to sit down next to her. She settled back, leaning her back against the brick of the wall, picking her book up again. He hadn't realized she had put it down, although she must have had.

For a few moments he just stared ahead, although he was looking at her from the corners of his eyes, too proud to spare her more than his peripheral vision. The caramel blonde of her hair was glistening gold in the evening sun and her light, steadfast fingers turned pages much faster than he ever read. Her smooth skin was begging to be touched. He swallowed. Those kinds of thoughts wouldn't do, he told himself.

'Should I read out loud to you?' She asked him, looking up from the book and he sullenly kept staring ahead, shrugging. 'I'm reading _The Catcher In The Rye_.' She told him. He didn't react. 'I'm going to read it to you.' She decided after a moment and after clearing her throat daintily she started reading indeed.

' _That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty, even if they're not much to look at, or even if they're sort of stupid, you fall in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are. Girls. Jesus Christ. They can drive you crazy. They really can_.'

With that conclusion Action felt he could agree.


	6. The Emeralds

Before Action knew it, it had become a comforting routine to sit with Bee in the courtyard while she read to him. He couldn't care less about the books and he was pretty sure she knew, but it felt like a legitimate excuse to spend more time with her. Bee would bring a quilt sometimes so they could lay on their back without getting their clothes dirty, but more than often he would lend her his jacket to sit on.

The weather was growing hotter as they were nearing the end of spring and the beginning of summer. He would lay on his back, looking at the cloudless blue of the sky, feel the sun burn on his skin. A soft breeze would play against his face as he had his hands behind his head. He would listen to her smooth voice as it detailed the thoughts of authors he had never heard of. ' _It sounds plausible enough tonight, but wait until tomorrow. Wait for the common sense of the morning_.' She read to him one afternoon. ' _Kick is seeing things from a special angle. Kick is momentary freedom from the claims of the aging, cautious, nagging, frightened flesh_.' She read on another afternoon.

She was a fond reader he very soon discovered and she was with a new book almost every time he saw her. He didn't understand much of anything she read to him but he begrudgingly enjoyed the lull of her voice, the attention she bestowed on him, the graceful hand she would place on his shoulder every time she got to a particularly good passage of the book, as if to ground herself in reality or to make sure he was still there.

His absence didn't go unnoticed. At the end of the week he came into Doc's one evening and Ice came to sit next to him at the counter. 'The boys wonder where you've been hanging out every afternoon this past week.' He said to the lieutenant quietly, not wanting the others to overhear. Action looked at him sideways, sucking smoke deeply into his lungs before stubbing out his cigarette at the side of the wooden counter, putting the half-smoked cigarette in his breast pocket.

'What do you want?' He questioned his fellow Jet. Ice leaned forward, hunching his back. 'I think seeing a major member of the gang neglect the gang like this, is demoralizing for the lower ranks.' Ice said. 'Especially with how it is with Tony.' He added. Action looked at him. He might've gotten angry if someone else had dared to say it, but he knew Ice was always low on bullshit. He was once again reminded of why Ice would eventually step into Riff's shoes if Riff was ever unlucky enough to kick the bucket and why Action would always stay the second in command. Ice, like Riff, could always see the bigger picture.

'Yeah, alright.' Action just answered, nodding along, accepting the slight criticism. They were silent for a moment or two. 'You up for a game of cards?' Asked Ice and Action chuckled, punching his shoulder. 'Against you? You must be dreaming.' Action replied. Action didn't have much of a poker face, something Ice most definitely did have.

Clarice didn't ask again where her boyfriend hung out when she couldn't find him. Not that she had much to complain about anyway. Clarice loved Action's touch, his kiss, his embrace and every evening he came into her room, to her delight, and they'd make out or make love until he woke up first, early in the morning, and would sneak out again. If she saw him at Doc's or out on the playground, she'd press herself into him and press her lips against his, inhaling his scent as she did. He smelled of smoke and sweat, but also something woody and spicy and something inherently dangerous to her. So it didn't matter much that his mind was otherwise occupied. That he'd lose interest immediately as Bee walked into Doc's or onto the playground.

It was the day after Ice had talked to him but he had decided that he could afford another afternoon and he once again found himself hopping the fence to the courtyard. He saw Bee was already there, a paperback book in front of her face. He didn't bother reading the title; he didn't really care. 'How'd you get in?' He asked her, surprised to see her. The fence was locked.

She looked up briefly and he heard the blood rushing in his ears as her blue eyes pierced through him. 'A neighbour let me in. I just told him I enjoyed the peace and quiet.' She told him. He frowned. It never occurred to him that it'd be okay with the tenants that they'd sit there.

He was more surprised to see that she was laying on her back. She usually sat upright and even then she had a blanket or quilt or his jacket to keep her dress clean. Now she was lying flat on her back, her legs modestly together (although the skirt of her dress hiked up the tiniest bit and he quickly looked away). Her hair was bunched up in her neck and her bosom was perhaps more pronounced now than it usually was. He swallowed.

He sat himself down as well, spreading his legs out in front of him and leaning his back against the wall. He scurried down a bit, not quite lying on his back as she did now, but not quite sitting upright like she usually did. He expected her to start reading to him like she had done every other afternoon for the past week but instead she put her book down, putting a piece of paper in between. Before she closed the book, he saw that there was a scribbly handwriting on the paper.

'Action, I need you to promise me one thing.' Bee said. Action looked at her sceptically. 'What is it?' He asked and Bee pouted a bit. 'You're asking me that like you already made your mind up about not promising me anything. I'd promise you something anytime.' Bee said and Action rolled his eyes. 'Are you going to tell me or not!' He asked and Bee narrowed her eyes at him.

'I don't know.' She said. 'Only, if you're going to give it a fair chance and understand that it's something I really want to do.' She answered him and he sighed. 'Fine, I'll think about it, whatever it is, now tell me!' He said impatiently and she brightened up a bit, flashing a grin his way. He felt his heart flutter involuntarily.

'I want to go to Greenwich Village.' She said. Action frowned at her. 'Why?' He asked in surprise. 'Because I heard it's fun. And there's this poet I'd like to meet and he's somewhere there.' She told him and he mock yawned. 'Well, go then.' He said and she exhaled through her nose, looking peeved that he didn't say yes right away.

'I don't know how! I've never used the subway before and I don't know the city! You wouldn't let a gal go out like that all by herself now, would you?' She asked him and he sat up a bit, squinting his eyes at her. 'The Village is a place for poetry-reading, finger-painting, no-sports-playing Nancy-boys. You'd be fine on your own.' He said and Bee slapped him across the shoulder playfully, letting out a cool bell-like laugh. It took him a moment to recover.

'Then just go with me because you want to.' She said and Action laughed as well. 'But I don't!' He exclaimed and Bee turned to lay on her stomach. 'Is that so?' She asked and he nodded seriously. 'We already are in the best part of town.' He said earnestly and Bee frowned, although he couldn't tell why she was looking so perplexed. She seemed to shrug whatever she was feeling off though.

'Besides, the _Greenwich Village Crew_ is in charge of the Village. I can't just show up there. I'm a Jet.' He added and Bee started smiling. 'Oh, so you're _scared_!?' She said happily. 'You could've just said so.' She added, taking in his instantly maddened expression.

'I ain't scared of nobody!' He said and Bee crawled closer, putting her hands on his chest and softly smoothening out the creases in his dirty t-shirt. He was worried that she'd be able to feel his heart smash against his ribcage. 'It's fine Action, you don't need to be ashamed. It's only one of you after all and it's on their turf. It's only natural to be scared.' She said and Action jumped up. 'We'll go right now then!' He said and Bee smirked.

'How about tomorrow? Right after school? If you pick me up from my house at three-thirty, I'll be ready to go.' She suggested and before he knew it he had agreed. She grinned at him smugly, staying on her stomach and pulling her book in front of her. She opened it at one of the first pages, even though Action had seen her close the book about halfway through earlier, and started reading.

' _I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked,_ _dragging themselves through_..-' she started but Action interrupted her. 'I actually have to go now.' He said. If he was going to justify spending the entire afternoon with her the next day, he'd have to put some time in with his gang as of now. Besides, he did miss it. Sitting around and listening to some lousy books, he thought, was not for him.

He flattered himself in thinking that she looked disappointed when she looked up from the book. 'I'll pick you up from your house at three-thirty.' He confirmed as he stood up, dusting off his knees (as if there was no dirt anywhere else on his clothes). She nodded. 'I'll be waiting.' She told him, smiling up at him. For a moment he was torn but then he remembered his buddies sitting at Doc's and he set his jaw, only nodding at Bee before walking back through the courtyard, climbing over the fence.

At Doc's he sat together with Riff and Snowboy at the little table beside the pinball machine. 'I almost forgot what you looked like, buddy-boy!' Riff joked. Action merely shot him a glare, although his spirit wasn't in it. 'Where were you all week anyway?' asked Snowboy. 'What are you, my goddamned mother!?' Action bit back and Snowboy held up his hands. 'It isn't like I didn't show up at all anymore.' He murmured, annoyed with the whole situation. He knew he wasn't being fair though. If any of his fellow Jets disappeared for a couple of hours every afternoon for a week straight, he'd wonder where they were off to as well.

'Speaking of mothers, I saw yours going down to the subway the other day.' Riff told Action. Action was surprised. What reason could his mother possibly have to leave the neighbourhood. And leave it so far to have to take the subway which cost money and she never had a lot of that.

'Yeah, the B train downtown.' Riff expanded. 'She had a scarf around her head; I don't think she wanted to be seen.' He said. Action was already sick of talking about his mother. 'Who cares what she's doing.' Action replied gruffly. 'Or who.' Snowboy quipped. Action jumped up from his chair and attempted to dive across the table, he already had one knee on the table top, to wrestle his friend to the floor but Riff was just in time as he jumped in between, pushing Action back while simultaneously kicking against Snowboy's leg. 'Snowboy, you got to learn to keep your mouth shut!' Riff bellowed at the startled boy, traces of fear in his eyes as he scrambled up and ran out of Doc's.

'Come back and let me get my hands on you, you chicken!' Action shouted after him while Mouthpiece and Ice held him back by his shoulders. When Snowboy was safely from sight they let him go and he shook their hands off, kicking against the leg of his chair before letting himself fall back down on it, hitting his fist on the table before sitting forward, elbows on the table top, shoulders hunched over.

'A-Rab, Baby John, go after him. Keep him out of trouble.' Riff ordered to the two boys sitting at the end of the counter. They immediately got up and ran out as well, after Snowboy. Riff offered Action a cigarette which he silently accepted, taking the matchbook that lay in the middle of the table to light it. The door opened again and all the Jets looked up and Action was hoping it might be Snowboy who decided to give Action another chance at bruising him up after all, but it was the girls who only now came back from school. It felt like so many things already happened but in fact, it was only four now, a bit after. The girls usually didn't come to Doc's straight after school anyway.

'Clarice, cheer up our buddy for us, yeah?' Riff called out to the auburn girl. Clarice looked away from her conversation with Minnie in confusion but she broke out into a grin when she spotted her boyfriend. 'Action!' She called out fondly before dashing forward. He took the cigarette out of his mouth for a second to kiss her, placing it back between his lips when she pulled back. She put her arms around his neck and perched on his lap. He welcomed her into his arms eagerly; he had a lot of steam to let off. His hands went around her waist as if automatically.

'What happened then? Were you being moody again?' She asked mockingly and he huffed, ignoring the question. He plucked his cigarette out from between his lips again, holding it between his index and middle finger, leaning forward as well as pulling her closer. He kissed her up and down her collar bone. 'Gosh, Action.' Clarice gushed, pulling his face up, a spotty blush on her face.

'We can't stay long.' Graziella said to Riff as she let herself fall down on his lap as well. 'Where're you off to?' He asked his girlfriend and Graziella pecked him on the lips before answering. 'Velma's aunt will cut all our hair. She works in a salon uptown.' Velma piped up too from where she was standing next to Ice, somewhere behind Action. 'She's doing it as my birthday present.'

He didn't pay them any mind. He slowly kissed Clarice and although she responded happily, he could also tell that she was nervous, the fidgeting on the back of his collar being evidence of that, probably taken aback by his sudden affection. He didn't usually like to show her off in public. He wanted to be alert, ready for anything; he couldn't do that when he was hauled up with some girl. This sort of stuff was for behind closed doors. Safe and private.

Her hesitance brought him back from his earlier anger as well, although Snowboy wasn't quite forgiven yet. He pulled back, leaning back in his chair and Clarice eyes him with a puzzled look on her face, her hands coming back from around his neck, sliding down to his chest. His thoughts immediately flashed back to earlier that afternoon, Bee's hands smoothening down the creases in his shirt, trailing her fingers over his chest. He leaned forward once more, kissing the questioning glance off Clarice's face. When he pulled back again, she was smiling at him.

The girls left soon, gushing about their upcoming new haircuts. After they left Action groaned and moaned as the other Jets were talking, restlessly shooting some darts while grumbling about his boredom and it wasn't until Riff subtly suggested that it was maybe time for some patrols, that he got up, pushed some shoulders, shoving them towards the door, and got out of there. It was time to pick some fights.

It was a disappointing turnout. They found one kid who _might_ have been a Shark, maybe, but he didn't have much to turn over to the gang members, a couple of quarters and half a pack of cigarettes, so Action's mood was worsening. It didn't change either when they ran into the tattered tomboy that hung around the neighbourhood.

Anybodys was a strange girl who wore boy's trousers and t-shirts and roamed the streets like a cat, sweeping in and out of alleys, up and down fire escapes. She would once in a while try to sneak into Doc's although usually she'd be thrown out. She'd insist she'd make a good asset to the gang. The Jets wouldn't have her.

'Anybodys, what's going on?' Mouthpiece shouted at the short-haired girl who was sitting on top of a brick wall that separated the garage from the street. She looked both ways cautiously before jumping down, crouching down before straightening. 'Nothing much.' She answered. Most of the boys kept walking, taking no notice of Anybodys but Mouthpiece stayed back. Action couldn't hear what they were saying, and he didn't care much anyway, but it wasn't until they reached the main street that Mouthpiece caught back up with them.

'Did you know my mum wants to send me away?' Joyboy asked as they walked down the street. 'How so?' Diesel asked. Joyboy paused his step as the group walked past the fruit and vegetable vendor.

Joyboy picked up one of the apples displayed in the crates in front of the shop, rubbing it against his dirty shirt, while talking. 'She just keeps saying that I need to do better, set a better example for my sister, all that jazz, or she's going to send me to live with my grandma in Queens.' He complained, taking a bite of the fruit when he finished. 'Your grandma couldn't change your brothers either, could she?' Mouthpiece commented and Joyboy nodded exasperated. The vendor stood by the door of his shop, glaring at the Jets and muttering under his breath but not actually doing anything about the petty theft.

'My mom said the same.' Diesel mentioned. 'That I better shape up or she'd send me to my aunt and uncle in Pennsylvania.' And the Jets nodded. Many of them had similar problems of family members that were on their cases. Most of those family members were huge problems on their own already though. Action knew that Joyboy's mother had a shotgun marriage and that the father packed up and left after having a couple of kids. Her second marriage was once again a failure with her new husband hitting both her and her children when he saw fit. Diesel's mother was not the best to preach either as she and Diesel's father were heroin addicts.

Action was watching the street, listening to his buddies with one ear, but he straightened up and held up his hand when he saw a familiar sight. The boys shut up immediately at his sign. 'Who knew _they_ still existed?' Mouthpiece said as they all had their eye on a couple of Emeralds down and on the opposite side of the street. They seemed to be very involved with each other, the three of them cracking jokes and pushing each other around and it wasn't until they were exactly across from the Jets that they seemed to notice.

'What are you losers hanging around here for!?' Action shouted across the street. 'Why don't you beat it!' The boys in green jackets looked up and narrowed their eyes. 'This is our side of the street!' A smaller one of them shouted back. 'We _allow_ you to be there.' Action corrected them, the Jets jeering at the boys across the way.

The Emeralds were a rival gang to the Jets but the Jets had beaten them in a rumble a while back and they were forced to relinquish much of their territory to them. Action didn't recognize the three boys and he assumed they must be new members. He thought them idiots for joining a failure of a gang like the Emeralds.

'Don't think we won't fight just because you beat us once.' The obvious leader of the three said, a blonde boy who squared his shoulders and had an arrogant sneer on his face. 'I was hoping you'd say that.' Action answered, immediately walking forward, taking off his jacket and throwing it aside. He felt his Jets at his heels.

The two boys at the blonde boy's flanks took a hesitant step back. Weak, Action thought. The boy in the middle though held his ground and didn't move a muscle as Action came to a halt right in front of him. 'Where's that confidence now, big boy?' Action questioned. 'Weren't you going to fight me?'

The boy seemed to weigh his options; look like a coward and run off with his buddies, or fight Action. Action could see his brain working. _Fight me_ , thought Action. _Just do it_. And that's when he saw his shifty eyes become still and Action let out a mean grin.

The boy swung his arm out, moving for Action's face but Action duck out of the way, subsequently hitting him in the stomach. The boy doubled over at the impact and Action tackled him to the ground. The boy groaned and Action sat on his chest, pinning his arms to the ground with his knees. He pulled his fist back, ready to strike a hard one on the jaw, but one of the boy's friends had come out his stupor and jumped on Action, forcing him off the first boy.

Action had to take a poorly aimed hit to the side of his temple before he could react but when he did, he kneed him in the gut, rolling him over and punching him in the nose. The boy whimpered and blood spurted out of his nostrils. Beside them the other Jets had jumped in as well, pulling the third boy into it too, kicking the hell out of the boy on the ground.

The fight was uneven and therefor over quickly. They were facing inexperienced fighters who were in the minority at that, but as the Jets eventually let them go, their pockets turned inside out, Action felt better than he had felt in a long time. He stretched his fingers, checking the bruising on his knuckles. Nothing too bad. He slapped Diesel on the shoulder happily.

'You saw the shiner on that fellar?' Mouthpiece called out, laughing loudly. 'He'll be crying home with his mother for sure.' Joyboy fell in. Action shared their good mood and when they walked back in to Doc's soon after he wasn't even mad seeing Snowboy anymore. He was still chuckling as he sat down next to him, paying his nervous gang-mate no mind.

'I take it you found some trouble?' Riff said amused. 'Yeah, guess what, some _Emeralds_ thought they could measure up.' Diesel shouted out. Action snapped his fingers and the boys emptied out their pockets, putting the change they had gotten off the boys on the table. 'Very nice!' Riff commented, counting out the coins. 'That's over two dollars.' He added, impressed. 'We could buy a couple of records.' A-Rab opted. 'A feast at the Italian place on Amsterdam Avenue!' Gee-Tar shouted out. 'No, we should get a ticket to the next Yankees game!' Big Deal disagreed but that was met with much protest. 'How are we _all_ going to go to that!?' Mouthpiece said. Riff calmly put a stop to all their suggestions.

'We're going to invest this pile of dough into our weapon's arsenal.' He decided. 'The Sharks are moving in and we're going to have to be ready.' He explained and everyone nodded. That's why Riff was president of the gang.

The rest of the evening was jolly. Action felt light and much more carefree than he had in months and even Snowboy dared to joke to him again, something he took in stride. When day turned into night, Jets dripped off to their homes one by one. Action was thinking of taking the subway up to the Bronx to visit his cousin, stay over at their place. He hadn't seen Astrid for too long, he decided, but he changed his mind as he patted his pockets. He didn't have the dime and a half to spend and although he could always jump the fence, the conductors usually checked extra carefully when it was quiet late at night, expecting people to jump fare like he did. He didn't want to go through the trouble. He'd visit Astrid a different time.

He and Ice were the last to leave Doc's and he followed after Ice up till his front door where the two boys nodded at each other seriously as if to say goodbye. Action had already turned around when Ice called out to him. 'Do you want to come up?' Action shrugged. 'What for?' Action asked. Ice never looked uncomfortable but Action could've sworn that he was blinking more than usual. 'I was thinking you could crash on my floor tonight. If you want.' He said. Action contemplated the offer but quickly accepted, having no other place to sleep as of yet anyway. 'It's better than going back to my mother's.' He said to Ice as he followed him up the stairs. 'It sure is.' Agreed Ice. Action felt like Ice maybe knew more than he was letting on.

Up in the apartment Ice motioned for Action to be quiet. His father and sister were sound asleep and he didn't want to answer questions. Action knew his mother had died at the birth of Ice's sister. He mimed locking his mouth shut. They crossed the small living room, Ice opening the door to his room, closing it behind Action. 'You can take my pillow and blanket, make yourself comfortable.' Ice mumbled. He took off to the bathroom, leaving Action to fend for himself.

Action took the pillow and blanket from the bed, placing them on the floor, spreading out the blanket on the floor. It was a cramped room, but it was New York City and most rooms were cramped. There was a small double-hung window looking over the street. Action moved forward, sliding the window upward, hoping the let a little breeze in. He took a deep breath.

'Where's Henry?' A young voice asked behind him. He spun around, feeling startled, to see a girl standing in the door opening. It was Ice's baby sister. She looked a lot like her brother, sandy hair woven into two braids, light blue eyes staring up at Action and thin arms hugging her own skinny frame. She was wearing a plain pink night gown. She couldn't be older than thirteen or fourteen. Action didn't remember her name.

'He's in the bathroom.' Action answered her. 'You're Action, right?' The girl asked him. Action nodded. 'Can you ask Henry to be home more often?' She asked him. 'Ask him yourself.' He retorted. Before she could reply, Ice came up behind her. 'Get out of here, Anna, you should be sleeping.' He said to his sister. She made a face at him. 'You only just got home yourself.' She argued. He leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. 'Well, I'm older.' He said dismissively.

She opened her mouth, ready to say more, but he shushed her and turned her around by her shoulders, pushing her in the direction of her own room gently. Action could hear her huff as she stomped off. Her door closed and Ice chuckled drily, closing his own door. 'Sorry about her.' He said. Action didn't mind. He didn't have any siblings himself. The closest he had to a sister was his cousin Astrid, but he knew that she too could be a pain when she wanted to be.

Action settled down on the floor, the floor hard even with the blanket covering it and Ice let himself fall down on his bed, sprawled out over the mattress and despite the lack of bedding, his breathing slowed almost immediately until he was in a deep sleep. It took a little longer for Action. It wasn't his sleeping arrangements. He was used to sleeping in uncomfortable and unfamiliar environments, but now that there were no distractions, nothing to keep his thoughts occupied, and he couldn't help but think about how he was going to take Bee down to the Village the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ice being called Henry and his sister Anna is in honour of an old fic that's on ff.net called "Action's Girl". Hasn't been uploaded in ages but I enjoyed it a great deal!


	7. Greenwich Village

hen Action came into Doc's the next morning Riff was already there, as well as Mouthpiece. Riff wasn't looking too cheerful though but Action decided not to question it as he sat down across from him. 'You're up early.' He commented and Riff yawned. 'And hungry. There wasn't anything to eat for breakfast.' He told them. Riff wasn't much of a morning person. He usually didn't show up till ten or eleven at the _very_ earliest. Action on the other hand had no place to be. Sleeping in wasn't a luxury he enjoyed. But, he figured, even if he did, he wouldn't be much good at it anyway. When he woke up he wanted to get moving right away. Breakfast, too, was something he never took for granted. Take that morning for instance; Ice had still been sleeping when Action got up.

Action had gone into the kitchen, noting that there was an empty mug and a plate in the sink. He took a glass from the cabinet and had himself a glass of water. He looked in the fridge after, hoping to maybe have something small to stuff in his mouth before he left. He was interrupted by a cough and he almost hit his head as he retracted from the ice box. It was Ice's little sister.

'I was about to make breakfast for myself, but I could make you some too, if you'd like.' She offered. Action was about to decline when he remembered that the last proper breakfast he had was too long ago for him to even remember. 'Alright.' He agreed. He leaned against the wall as he watched the young girl take out a carton of eggs. 'Fried eggs okay for you?' She asked. 'Sure.' He answered. She proceeded to take out a frying pan.

'Anna, yeah?' Action clarified, not sure about her name. She nodded, smiling, a small blush on her face. 'Where's your dad?' He asked. 'At work. He starts early and doesn't finish till late.' She responded, pouring some milk in the pan. The empty mug and plate in the sink must've been his. When the effectively scrambled eggs were done she divided it over two plates accompanied by two slices of bread and walked into the living room, Action following after, where there was a table with three chairs crammed around it. She put a plate down for him and he sat down, eagerly digging in. The last thing he had eaten were a bag of peanuts at Doc's the evening before.

Over the course of their breakfast it seemed like Anna wanted to say something several times but she kept her lips firmly shut and Action had no inclination of starting conversation either so the only word he muttered was 'Thanks.' When he got up to leave.

Action heard rustling by the basement door and he didn't pay it any notice as he chatted lazily with Riff and Mouthpiece, assuming it to be Doc but when a different voice greeted him, he looked up startled. Tony stood behind the counter, a cardboard box in his hands. 'Tony, hey..!' He answered the boy's salute, his reaction slightly delayed by his surprise. He looked back at Riff and Mouthpiece. Mouthpiece kept his eyes glued to the table but Riff glared at Tony, looking positively annoyed. It was not an expression Riff wore much when his best friend was around so that in itself was already astonishing.

For a moment it was silent in the candy store as Tony started unpacking the cardboard box, putting the chocolate bars in the glass case underneath the counter. Action gave Riff a look. Riff shrugged. Before long Tony was done with the box, taking it back downstairs through the basement door. 'Is Doc sick?' Asked Action and Riff moodily shook his head. 'No, Doc's alright.' He replied. Action could see no other reason for Tony to lend a hand to the old man. 'Then what the hell is he helping out for?' Action followed up. Riff wouldn't answer so Mouthpiece piped up; 'He got a job here.'

Action was dumbfounded by the news. 'Job?' He questioned, tasting the word as if it was a foreign language. 'Tony?' He added when Mouthpiece and Riff both nodded. Once again nodding. Tony re-emerged from the basement, this time carrying a crate and Action looked at him with an odd sense of wonder. It had occurred to him a while back already but the fact that Tony was different to them hit him like a ton of bricks in that moment.

Reactions were much the same during the rest of the day. Everyone was shocked, unsure on how to act (especially because Riff didn't say anything – apparently he had already talked with Tony) but the sheer amount of star power Tony exercised still within the gang saved him from any open criticism and everyone just kept quiet about it.

Not so much though when Riff took the confused gang out to play basketball in the playground. Slowly opinions started to slip out until it just burst. 'Is he abandoning the gang!?' Joyboy yelled out. 'We can't let that stand!' Diesel followed up and Action stepped in, giving him a noogie, making the other boy shout out. 'How about you all shut your goddamned mouths for a moment, eh!?' Action called out to the group. Action was feeling uncharacteristically calm about the whole situation, but maybe that was because he'd seen it coming much earlier already. It was not much of a surprise to him. Riff was quietly striking up a cigarette, leaning to the pole the basketball hoop was mounted on. Then he straightened up and everyone expectantly waited for his verdict on the matter. 'Consider it temporary sickness. He'll be back.' Riff ruled.

After noon Action's thoughts started floating in a different direction. Soon he'd take the subway downtown together with Bee. Why she wanted to go to the Village he didn't really understand but that she wanted to go with him was enough to convince him really. When it was nearly three-thirty he pushed himself away from the wall in the playground he was previously leaning on and murmured a quick goodbye to his friends. He didn't want to have to explain where he was going.

On the way out of the playground, he almost ran into Bee's twin brother. Emil was still scrawny as ever but he had developed a bit of a tan in the last couple of months and his hair had grown longer, pushed away from his eyes, combed back over his head. Emil scowled at him as they passed each other and Action wondered if Bee had told him that they'd be going on a trip downtown together that afternoon. When would Emil give up on trying to join the gang anyway? Did he think that Action getting friendlier with his sister got him in? Action got irritated thinking about it.

On the way down the block to where Bee lived, Action came across another gangster-wannabe. 'They're at the playground.' He said to the shorthaired girl who was sitting on the concrete steps of Doc's, her head whipping around at the sound of his voice. Anybodys was about as welcome in the gang as Emil was but she had become a familiar fixture of life with the Jets. 'Thanks daddy-o!' She exclaimed, jumping up from where she was sitting and she was about to run off when she realized that Action was going in the opposite direction.

'Where are you going?' She asked him and he rolled his eyes at her curious nature. 'Nowhere you need to know about.' He answered, walking on. She looked towards the playground but then fell in with his step. 'You going to visit that European chick again?' She asked and Action halted. 'What do you know about that?' He asked her. She shrugged, but she had a smug smile on her face. 'Not much, but I do know that you and her have been spending a lot of time together this past week.' She told him and Action grunted, continuing his path down the sidewalk. Anybodys didn't follow. Behind him he heard her zoom down to the playground, quick steps on the pavement.

Action picked Bee up from her home at a little past half past three. She bounced down the stairs with a happy grin on her face. She had a book clutched between her fingers but furthermore didn't have anything with her. She cheerfully greeted the permanently glum looking Action. 'Yeah, yeah, let's get to Greenwich and get back again as soon as possible. Don't want to get jungled up there or nothing.' He said, marching towards where he knew the closest subway station was. Beatrice didn't have any problem keeping up with him, her strides being longer than his. She had her arms crossed, pinning her book to her chest. Action glanced at her sideways but couldn't read the book title the way she was holding it but he did recognize it to be the same book as the one she was reading the day before.

At the subway, normally Action would've jumped the fence but he figured that, since he was with a girl, he'd perhaps couldn't make her jump the fence with him, she was wearing a dress and all that after all, so they ended up both buying a ticket. The platform was nearly empty. It was still just a little bit after school and it would still be another hour at least before the evening commute started. When the train arrived and they went in, Action let her sit by the window and she excitedly grabbed onto the edges of the seat.

'We don't have a subway at home.' Bee said and Action looked at her sideways as he leaned lazily against the door. 'You don't?' He asked and he realized that he never thought of how life was for Bee before she came to New York. To Action there was no outside of New York. New York was his life. The West Side was his life.

'No, we have public transport, sure, but no subways.' She repeated. She looked out of the window in interest, as if it was something more fascinating than blackness flashing by. 'So, how did you get around?' Action asked. Bee stayed staring out the window a few more seconds but then looked at Action. 'The bus, on bike, walking, whatever was fastest. Copenhagen is a lot smaller than New York.' She explained.

'What are you looking to find in the Village anyway that you can't get uptown?' Action asked curiously as they sat together. He was in the meantime staring down a kid across from them who was sitting next to his mother, who was knitting what looked like a sweater. 'The poet I wanted to meet lives there.' She said. He now remembered that she had said as much the day before. She opened up the book she had had in her arms and took a little folded note from in between the pages and showed him. 'I got the address off a customer of Doc's. Allen Ginsberg sometimes holds readings at this place here in Greenwich Village.' She told him. 'Allen Ginsberg?' Action asked. 'That's the name of the poet.' Bee said. She closed the book again so he could see the cover and saw indeed the name _A. Ginsberg_ on the front top. "The Howl and other poems" seemed to be the title. 'What do you need to meet a guy like that for?' He asked her and she folded the book in between her arms. 'I think it could be interesting. Reading his work he sounds like a very interesting individual.' She answered him. Action let out a puff of air. 'Sounds like a drag, that's what it sounds like.' He told her. She didn't say anything back but he could almost hear her smile.

When they got off the subway, walking up the stairs to get to street level, Bee was looking around for a street sign, holding the note with the address on it in her hands. Action was too impatient to wait till she had figured it out on her own, so he plucked the piece of paper from her hands and grabbed onto the arm of a fellow not much older than them, wearing a black turtleneck sweater and a flat cap. Action thought he was odd looking, unruly curls peeking out from under his cap and an unkempt beard hiding the bottom part of his face. 'Hey, can you tell us where we can find this place?' He asked, shoving the paper in front of his face. The man looked a bit startled but his eyes focused on the handwriting and looked back at Action. 'It's just a couple of blocks from here. That way.' He said, pointing behind him. 'You heard him.' Action said to Bee, pushing her in the back in the direction he pointed. 'Thank you!' Bee called out over her shoulder.

As they walked down the street Action noticed a lot of people as strange or stranger than the man he had asked directions from. People wearing neat and clean clothes but somehow still managed to look messy and dishevelled. Their dress shirts hanging out their pants, their ties undone, dark sunglasses hiding their eyes. Their hair was untidy and almost seemed permanently windblown and many of them had ungroomed beards. They were sitting on the sidewalk, hanging out windows, sitting inside bars and shops. There was no one like them in Action's environment. It made him feel uncomfortable, even if he wouldn't admit it.

'This is the place.' Bee said, calling Action to attention. He looked forward and saw that they had stood still in front of another one of those bars that he'd seen so many of on their walk. 'Well, get inside then, so we can go home.' Action said gruffly and he was faintly aware of Bee rolling her eyes. Nonetheless she did as he told her and went in. He followed after.

It was a bit dark inside, only the daylight from the narrow windows lighting the space, smoke obscuring much of it. It wasn't busy but the people sitting at the round wooden tables didn't look up when the two of them walked through the door. 'Do you see him?' Action asked, leaning forward to whisper the question in her ear. She shook her head. 'I'll go ask.' She replied. Action kept his eyes trained at everyone in the place and noted that all of them were drinking coffee. What kind of bar was this anyway?

She walked up to the bar and tried to get the barman's attention. Action sat down at the stool next to her. When the barman turned around Action realized that it was actually a barmaid. She reminded him of Anybodys in the sense that she wore jeans and had short hair, but that was where the similarities ended because the full lipped lady didn't seem to want to hide that she was a woman in the way that Action sometimes felt Anybodys wanted. She wore dark eye makeup and her lips were painted a dark red. The Village was a very weird place, Action decided once again.

'What can I do for you kids?' She asked, a slight accent to her voice although Action couldn't place it. It displeased him that this woman thought of him as a kid. 'We're looking for Allen Ginsberg, could you tell us where to look?' Bee asked in return. 'Allen Ginsberg? He's not here right now. Lou!' She suddenly shouted that last part and Bee and Action both jumped in surprise. 'Lucien, you know where Allen's hanging out at!?' The woman yelled and a man in his late twenties looked up from his conversation. 'Not too sure. He said he might be at the _Half Note_ later today. Or maybe _San Remo_?' He returned and the woman behind the bar turned her attention to Bee again.

' _San Remo_ is closest by, just a little down the street. If he ain't there, go try at the _Half Note Club_. It's a night club, just opened a couple of months ago. Allen knows one of the owners.' She said and Bee nodded, thanking her.

The barwoman was right when she said that _San Remo_ was close. Action almost walked past because he didn't expect them to reach it that quickly already. 'I hope he's here.' Bee murmured at him and he looked at her and noticed that she looked a bit giddy. Action didn't know what to feel about that. He rarely saw her express much more than calm content. They went inside and they looked around. It was a bit busier here than it had been at the previous place but other than that it looked pretty much the same in Action's eyes. A guy was softly playing piano in a corner. It was jazzy, not Action's taste.

'Allen Ginsberg, right?' Action asked but before Bee could either deny or confirm, a guy sitting by the door had looked up from a notebook he was writing in. Action could see that his small script covered the whole page, making for an unintelligible mess of words. 'Allen Ginsberg? What do you need him for?' He asked and Action was about to say something rude to him but Bee beat him to an answer. 'I'm a fan! I was just hoping to meet him.' She admitted.

The man stood up, closing his notebook and tucking it in the waistband of his pants. 'He's meeting me here any moment.' He said. 'You want some coffee? Is espresso good?' He asked. He didn't seem to think that answers were necessary for conversation. He walked to a bar counter similar to the one at the place they'd just been at. He looked behind him at the two teenagers. 'You two sit down there.' He pointed at a beat up wooden table. They both rushed forward to sit down. There was something bizarrely commanding about the man.

When he sat down as well, putting down four cups of espresso (something Action had never drank before) he sat back, looking at them. The man looked to be in his forties, a strict image to him, but there was a certain something in his eyes that was unpredictable and somehow a bit frightening.

'So you're here for Allen..' He stated. Bee didn't seem to know what to answer so she didn't answer anything. 'Are you interested in the _beat scene_?' He continued. Bee shrugged indecisively. 'I suppose I am. I'm interested in anything that's new and fascinating.' She told him and he let out a chuckle. 'Sounds like _beat_ to me.' He replied. Action had no clue what was going on but also had no inclination to find out so he kept his mouth shut.

'William!' Someone called out from the door and the three souls sitting around the table looked up to see a man who could be no older than thirty come up to the table. He wore prominent, thick rimmed glasses, his hair swept aside and a five o'clock shadow across his chin. He sat down and the man called William pushed one of the espresso cups to him which he accepted happily. Bee grabbed her own too and just to not seem silly, Action also took one of the tiny cups into his hands.

'Allen, meet these two youngsters. Interested in the new and the fascinating.' William introduced them. Bee stuck out her hand for, who Action assumed to be, Allen Ginsberg to shake. 'What a pleasure to meet you, Mr Ginsberg! My name is Beatrice Hendriksen.' She said and he shook her hand appreciatively. 'Pleasure is mine, I'm sure, call me Allen.' He said. His eyes went over her for a moment and then swooped over to Action in a way that made him squirm in his seat. 'This is my friend Action.' Bee said. Allen Ginsberg looked back at Bee. 'Well, Beatrice, Action, you've already met my friend William Burroughs.' He said. 'William _S_ Burroughs?' Bee asked, leaning forward, her forearms on the table. 'I've read some of your work too, although I have to admit not very much yet.' She confessed.

Action had never seen Bee quite like this. She was red in the face from excitement and her coffee was forgotten in front of her. What was it that got her so riled up? These two old guys? Action was feeling envious of the undivided attention she bestowed on them. I mean, admittedly, they weren't _that_ old (that Ginsberg character was only around thirty) but to the teenager they were ancient. After a moment of staring at her caramel hair, curving around her face, Action shook his head and tuned back into the conversation.

'I very much enjoyed _Junky_. I'd be happy to read more of yours.' Her smooth voice told the older of the two men who listened intently, calmly sipping their espressos. 'I was hoping you could sign my copy of _Howl_ actually.' Bee confessed, taking the book that had previously been on her lap and putting it on the table. 'I don't have _Junky_ on me, but perhaps you'd do me the honour of signing this book as well?' She suggested. The two poets happily obliged, Allen Ginsberg first taking a ballpoint pen out of his pocket and handing it to his friend when he had finished.

'So tell me about that accent.' Burroughs asked her, closing the book and handing it back to her. 'Where are you from?' He added. 'I moved here from Copenhagen a couple of months ago.' She replied. 'Copenhagen? How has the change been?' Ginsberg asked. 'Tough.' Bee confided. 'America is very different to what I'm used to.' She sighed. 'You two are not from around this neighbourhood, I'm guessing?' Burroughs chuckled. Action's frown stayed intact but Bee smiled. 'No, we live around 68th street, up by Amsterdam Avenue.' She said. She looked at Action sideways, the smile still on her face. 'Don't we Acton?' She addressed to him, softly elbowing him. He looked back at her, nodding gruffly. 'Yeah, Upper West Side.' He agreed.

Action didn't understand much of anything that was being said after that. It was about writers and books and current affairs and none of it interested him one bit. He sat back in the creaky wooden chair, looking at the lively conversation of the three in front of him, a moody scowl on his face. Sometimes Bee would turn to him, a smile lighting up her eyes and he would hear the blood rush in his ears, his heartbeat drumming against his ribcage. His scowl would worsen.

'It's time to go for William and I, I'm afraid.' Allen Ginsberg said after a while. Finally, Action thought. 'We'd love to have you back though. You are a delight to talk to.' He added. Action could see that Bee was about to answer but he quickly stood up, scraping the chair across the floor, effectively shutting her up. She looked up at him and caught his impatient expression. 'Action and I should be getting back home now too, probably.' She told the two men and they all followed Action's example and stood up from their chairs.

Luckily William S Burroughs picked up the bill because Action barely had enough money with him to pay the fare back on the subway. Together they left the bar full of coffee drinkers and stood out on the sidewalk. Action had his hands in his pockets, kicking his feet against the hot pavement restlessly. 'I'm sure we'll meet again.' William S Burroughs said. His eyes slid over to Action. Action felt his skin crawl at the attention. He bunched his shoulders together.

Burroughs extended his hand for Action to shake and after a moment of uncomfortable hesitation Action took his hand out of his pocket and shook it. 'Your friend is welcome too, of course.' Burroughs said to Bee, not taking his eyes off Action. He let go off his hand and Ginsberg stuck out his as well, shaking Action's hand too, putting his other hand on his shoulder. It lingered just a couple of seconds too long. 'We need to go.' Action said.

He grabbed Bee's hand before she had the chance to shake their hands goodbye herself and pulled her away towards where he knew the subway was. 'Bye..!' Bee called out to them and they looked after them with amusement evident on their faces. Action stomped forward. It wasn't until they were already down the stairs, underground, that Bee pulled herself free of his grasp. 'What was that all about?' She asked him, more curious than irritated.

'I don't like the looks they were exchanging.' Action said angrily and Bee laughed. 'What are you laughing for!? You like being ogled by old guys?' He said annoyed. 'I don't think it was me they were ogling at.' Bee replied though. 'What's that supposed to mean!?' Action yelled but Bee had walked on with a light chuckle. Action ran after her.

They were quiet on the ride back uptown, but neither was burdened by the silence. Bee was contently watching the evening commute. All seats were taken and most standing space was occupied as well. Sweaty men in suits or overalls, some with cotton newsboy caps and others with stingy brim hats, all returning home from their offices or construction sites or whatever their place of work was.

Bee and Action were standing next to the door, pressed against the divider between the door and the seating area. At first Action's eyes had been on the crowd crammed around them, keeping an eye out for danger; other gangs potentially, but after a bit his attention got drawn by the girl in front of him. Although his eyes were on her, her eyes were shooting around the train, studying the people. The doors opened when they arrived at the next station and although a few people got out, more people came in to replace them. Action felt people push against this back and although he hastily thrust his hands forward to brace himself against the divider, he couldn't help stepping closer than he wanted to Bee. He could feel her hot breath in his neck, goose bumps erupting at the sensation. He could feel the heat of her skin radiate against his, that's how close she was.

He let his eyes wander to hers and he noted that she was looking at him as well. She was a bit taller than he was so he had to look up, especially at this close proximity. He quickly looked away again but his eyes were drawn to the line of her neck, sweat from the humid train cart gleaming on her skin. The frilly collar of her powder blue dress stuck to her collarbone. He closed his eyes, doing a quick prayer in his mind. _Remember me, Old Man? I'm sorry I haven't been to church or talked to You, or whatever, in a couple of years. I'll do all that if You just get me through this one, yeah?_

When the doors of the subway cart opened he took in a deep breath. 'C'mon' he murmured to Bee, pushing his shoulder against the people standing in between them and the door. When they stood on the subway platform they took a look around them as the train rode off again. 'Is this the right station?' Asked Bee and Action shook his head, starting to walk towards the exit. 'Nah, it's one early. It was too hot in there.' He explained lamely.

After a beat of silence he heard the clacking of her shoes on the tiles as she hurried after him. 'I have never been this far out before. Besides just going to Greenwich I mean.' She said as she caught up to him. Action hummed disinterestedly. He had, although it wasn't often. His turf was his turf.

It was quiet between them as they navigated the streets. Action was quiet because he was looking around with his hawk eyes, being on enemy territory and all, Bee was quiet for a reason he couldn't discern. Maybe she was alert too, he thought, although he knew it not to be true. Bee was wilfully naïve when it came to all gang-related business.

Action relaxed visibly, his shoulders sagging and his frown softening, as they crossed into their own neighbourhood. 'You want me to drop you off at your house?' Asked Action, his tone lighter than it had been all day. Bee bit her bottom lip in a way that made his heart stop for just a second before kicking back into overdrive. 'You want to go home already? It isn't late yet.' She said. She looked at her wrist for a moment before realising there wasn't a watch on it. 'It can't be yet eight.' She speculated.

'What do you want to do then?' He asked her and she shrugged. 'We could sit in our garden?' She suggested and her calling the patch of dry earth and shrivelled up tomato plants a "garden" made him laugh although he stopped when it occurred to him that she saw it as _their_ garden. 'I don't know, Bee.' He said. 'Why not?' She asked.

He felt the call of his gang, he had already spent the entire afternoon helping out this girl with her stupid mission, could he permit himself another hour or so? Maybe. But could he permit himself being alone with her again? Her icy gaze made shivers run down his back in a way that he had never felt before and the way everything closed up on him earlier in the subway had frightened him if he were honest with himself. But it had also thrilled him, left him wanting more.

'No reason. Let's go.' He answered her.

When they got to the garden as she called it, he climbed over the fence, unlocking it from the inside to let her in. They made themselves comfortable between the barely greenery, Action laying down his jacket for her as he had done before and her perching down on it gently as she had done before. It was quiet again.

'Thanks for coming today, Action, I know you didn't want to.' Bee said after a moment. She spoke softly and adding on her already soft accent Action almost didn't hear. 'It was no trouble.' He answered. 'I had fun.' He said. A smile broke onto her face, leaving his mind blank. 'Sure you did. I saw you grouching away over your coffee while I was talking to the writers, you know.' She pointed out with a chuckle. He laughed as well. 'Okay, I didn't.' He admitted, although honestly, he hadn't been referring to their rendezvous with the two old fellars anyway.

'Now don't you worry, now you've shown me the way I can go alone next time.' She said and Action narrowed his eyes at that. 'Alone? Alone where?' He asked stupidly. Bee raised her eyebrows. 'Why, Greenwich of course.' She replied. 'You don't think that I'm satisfied with meeting them just the once, do you?'

Action jumped up, anger making his blood cook in his veins. This mindless, ignorant girl. Didn't she know the danger New York City posed for a young beautiful girl like herself. And more importantly; 'Why the hell not, what's so great about those square old-looking guys anyway?' He shouted out and Bee suppressed a laugh that made Action all the angrier. She stood up as well. 'There's no need to get upset, I'm just interested in a lot of the same things as they are. Will you call me square too?' She said, humour colouring her voice. Action calmed down a bit although not entirely.

'You're never going down there alone, you hear me!? It ain't safe for a girl like you.' He told her, putting both his hands on her shoulders to drive the point home but her lips just stretched into a full-blown smile. 'I'll think about it.' She said and Action groaned, shaking her about a bit. Bee laughed.

'Stop it, Action!' She giggled, her hands shooting up and her fingers gripping into the front of his shirt for support. Her hands colliding with his chest made electricity shoot through his body and fire erupt on his skin and by the way her mouth parted slightly and her eyes widened he could tell she felt it too.

And that was all they needed. Action pulled her forward by her shoulders and her hands gripped onto his shirt and their lips crushed against each other and in all his fantasies, Action never imagined a kiss could be this good. His lips feverishly started making their way down her neck and he heard her ragged breath in his ear and it all felt so good! So right! He let his hands fall from her shoulders and pulled her close by her waist, feeling the length of her body press into his. His hands were on her back but they trailed back up to cup her cheeks, feeling her smooth skin, pushing her pinned curls away. Her lips were full and soft and pressed back at his lips as he moved back to hers. He wanted her but most importantly, she wanted him back. This moment could never end.

And then he thought of Clarice and the thought made him hastily take a step back. 'I have a girlfriend.' He said accusingly, like it had all been her fault. Bee nodded solemnly. 'I'm sorry about that.' She said. 'I didn't think I was that type of a girl.'

For a second neither of them moved but then both of them sprung from their stupors, Action snatching his jacket from the ground, and both of them nearly ran to the end of the courtyard. Without saying anything they both went their own way, one of them to her house so she could hide herself in her room and the other towards Doc's, hoping to lose himself in the buzzle of his friends company. They didn't say goodbye to each other as they sped off.

His buddies welcomed him with open arms, knowing better than to question his whereabouts of the afternoon when seeing his face. He shot darts at the board in a frustrated manner until he got bored with it, then he played pinball till that bored him too. By the end of the night, when everyone had gone home he knew there was no distraction left.

'Fuck.' Action muttered. He stalked out of Doc's, banging the door closed behind him, and made way towards the subway. He could only think of one person he could stand seeing now. His cousin Astrid.

Unfortunately she lived all the way up in the Bronx and it was a long subway ride to get there. He tapped his foot, snapped his fingers, counted the dried up gum on the floor; nothing was enough to keep his mind from wandering back to that moment only hours before. It couldn't keep him from going hot again, his heart nearly beating out of his ribcage just considering the thought. He felt guilty that he hadn't spared Clarice almost a single thought yet.

All things must end though and eventually Action did arrive at the front door of his cousin, rapping his knuckles against the wood hard. All lights in the house were out so they were probably asleep but he wasn't about to go back either, the trains would stop running soon anyway. He saw a light come on through the little window above the door. A moment later the door itself opened.

'What do _you_ want?' Mr Walsh said, Astrid's dad. 'Came to see Astrid.' Action grunted, looking around the street, not looking at the man before him. It was a rundown part of town and the bad shape of the asphalt roads, the flickering street lights and the bent sign posts testified to that. 'It's midnight, it's a school night. Go back home, Felix.' Mr Walsh said.

Action looked up at his birth name being used. He rarely still heard that name. Only his mother still really used it but he avoided her as much as he could already. 'My name ain't Felix no more.' He told him angrily. 'And the trains will have stopped running by now.' He added. Mr Walsh sighed, far too dramatically as far as Action was concerned, but then stepped out of the way. 'You can sleep on the couch but you are not to wake Astrid up. If you want to talk to her, you can talk to her in the morning. She has school at eight.'

Action stayed on the couch just long enough for her dad to have gone to his bedroom and closed the door behind him before Action got up quietly and sneakily crept down the hallway to Astrid's room. He knocked softly but didn't wait for an answer, going in, still like a breeze, and shutting the door with much care. 'I thought I heard you.' Whispered Astrid.

Sitting upright in her bed was his cousin, her blonde hair braided and her green eyes seemingly glowing in the dark. 'You'd think you'd be sleeping. It's a school night, ain't it?' Action said to her and she giggled. He shushed her. 'You want your dad to kick me out? No, so keep quiet. And make room.' He went to sit at the foot of her bed and she pulled up her knees. 'It's midnight. Why did you come so late still?' Astrid asked. 'None of your business.' Action said, reaching over and pushing at her foot. She weakly kicked back.

'Trouble with your girlfriend?' She asked teasingly. It hit a bit too close to home for Action. 'I told you it was none of your business, didn't I!?' Action hissed out and Astrid sat back with a displeased frown on her face. She didn't like it when she wasn't included.

Action took a deep breath and decided to let it go. 'Now, tell me about your day, kid. How was, er, I don't know, school. I guess.' He said uncertainly. What did teenage girls do these days? Astrid kept her eyes narrowed at him for a bit before the need to get onto a pleasant subject became too big for her to resist. 'Martha McDougal is pregnant!' She breathed out. She wasn't usually a big gossiper but when one of your fifteen year old classmates gets pregnant, that's something you want to tell people.

' _Pregnant_!?' Action whispered disbelievingly. 'One of your classmates? But you're all still kids!' He said. Astrid huffed. 'You are less than two years older than me, Action. If I'm a kid, you're a kid.' She argued. He shook his head. 'I ain't a kid.' He decided. 'You, however, definitely still are a kid so I don't want you hanging around with those folks, alright? Bad seeds, the lot of them.' He demanded but she frowned at that. 'I can choose my own friends.' She said. 'I don't care what you can or cannot do, I don't want you involved with any of that _funny_ business until after you're married.' Action told her and now she seemed to get angry herself. 'How unfair to say that! I _know_ you are all up in that funny business with Clarice and-' she began to say but Action turned to her sharply. 'Didn't I tell you to shut up about her already!' He called out, definitely too loud. Astrid threw him a glare. 'If you're going to be like that you can leave. I don't know what happened to you today but you're not taking it out on me. I'll see you in the morning.' She said. Action grumbled but jumped up from the bed and left her bedroom, stomping back through the hallway and launching himself on the couch.

It wasn't fair. He just wanted to get his mind off things. What did he ever do to deserve to be in a mess like this one. The kind of mess he couldn't fight himself out of. He let out a groan as he turned over, leaving his back exposed from the light blanket Mr Walsh had thrown him. He felt the chill of a draft run over his skin. An uncomfortable shiver ran over him but he didn't move. _Just right_ he thought to himself. _I deserve at least this much_.

It took him a long time before he fell asleep. And when he slept, he dreamt of frilly blue dress collars and tomato plants stuck in dry earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realised that this is the second fanfiction with a prominent character called Felix. You'd think that Felix is my favourite name but I promise that isn't true.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this chapter, consider leaving a review and let me know your thoughts :)


End file.
